NASA's CTE Day at Langley Research Center (In-Person)

NASA's Career and Technical Education Day at Langley Research Center (LaRC): Igniting Futures in Technical and Skilled Trades

Event Date: Thursday, April 22, 2027
Event Time: 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration Deadline: Friday, March 5, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. ET
Intended Audience: High School and Community College students enrolled in Career Technical Education (CTE) programs

Join us for an immersive, hands-on experience designed to inspire the next generation of technicians, mechanics, and problem-solvers. This dynamic event will showcase exciting career pathways in engineering technology and the technical workforce through:
• Interactive demonstrations featuring robotics, Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS), and cutting-edge tools used in modern fabrication
• Guided tours of high-tech NASA facilities including wind tunnels, fabrication labs, and model shops where the work of technicians comes to life
• Engaging speakers from the technical workforce, including engineering technicians and industry professionals, sharing insights into their careers and the skills that drive innovation
• Hands-on activities that allow students to explore technical concepts, and experience the thrill of STEM in action

This event is designed to connect high school and community college students currently involved in career and technical education with real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and skilled trades, helping them envision exciting futures in high-demand fields. This experience connects classroom learning to impactful careers, equipping CTE students for in-demand roles across robotics, UAS, and manufacturing and fabrication.

During this event, a panel of experts from LaRC will discuss how they use the unique capabilities found at Langley to achieve mission goals and respond to student questions. If your group is not selected to participate in-person, you are welcome to apply to participate in a one hour component of the day virtually. Schools applying to participate virtually will be provided with logistical information prior to the event.

This application indicates your students’ interest to participate in-person the day of the event. NASA will employ a down select process; and due to capacity limits, all schools who apply may not be selected. NASA will notify schools of their participation status as soon as possible after the deadline. The application deadline to participate in person is March 5, 2027.

REQUIRED Documents for Application:
Your application must include the following two REQUIRED documents (to be uploaded as separate Word documents at the time of application for your organization to remain eligible). You MUST upload these two documents as part of your application before you submit it or your application will not be complete.

1. Letter from a school administrator on school letterhead indicating their support for participation and transportation to and from the event
2. Document (Word or PDF) addressing the points below:
- School Name
- Email address
- CTE program(s) that will participate in NASA's CTE Day
- Brief description of how this experience will be integrated into your school's CTE program(s)
- Estimated number of students and chaperones who will attend
- Aerospace content or resources currently used in your CTE program(s)

Schools selected to participate are REQUIRED to:
- Invite students who are a part of their school's CTE program(s)
- Attend a virtual information session prior to the event
- Submit media releases prior to the event
- Provide their own bus transportation to and from the event, with buses remaining on Center for the duration of the event
- Present a Real ID or passport for all adult teachers, chaperones, and bus drivers to gain access to the Center

*Please note, LaRC is an operational government facility, supporting a range of activities and missions. Please be advised that this event may be canceled if operational requirements or mission needs deem it necessary.

If you experience technical difficulties while applying for this event, please visit the following website to submit an issue with our NASA STEM Gateway team: https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/public/s/contactsupport.

For questions about NASA’s Career and Technical Education Day at Langley, please email [email protected].

**Eligible Applicants:** Educator
**Academic Level:** 9, 10, 11, 12, Undergraduate Freshman, Undergraduate Sophomore, Undergraduate Junior, Undergraduate Senior
**Activity Type:** In-person
**Citizenship:** US Citizen Only
**Type:** Pre-College STEM Experience