LA PLATA, Md. –– U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks toured the College of Southern Maryland Velocity Center on October 31, 2025, joining a panel of local leaders to discuss economic expansion through industry partnerships in the Western Charles Technology Corridor.
The visit focused on aviation workforce needs and artificial intelligence challenges amid regional technological shifts. Alsobrooks, Maryland’s junior senator since January 2025 and the state’s first Black woman in the role, emphasized proactive economic strategies during the event at the center in Bryans Road. “The number one goal of every jurisdiction has to be to continue doing the work of building the current economy and being prepared for the new economy we’re going to see,” she said.
The corridor stretches more than 7.6 square miles along Maryland Route 210, linking the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division — the Navy’s primary hub for energetics research and production — to the Maryland Airport in St. Mary’s County and Bryans Road in Charles County. This positioning places it within a 40-minute drive of major defense and aviation sites, supporting a strategy to attract tech and manufacturing firms. The NSWC Indian Head Division alone obligated nearly $1 billion in contracts during fiscal year 2024, injecting funds into local suppliers and sustaining thousands of jobs in Southern Maryland.
At the heart of the corridor sits the CSM Velocity Center, a collaboration space less than two miles from the naval facility. It features conference rooms for community and Navy meetings, a Makerspace equipped with tools for prototyping and manufacturing, and programs for skill-building in emerging fields. CSM President Dr. Yolanda Wilson described it as central to regional progress. “Community collaboration is key to regional economic growth, and the Velocity Center is a driving force of our regional growth, fostering partnership, innovation, and creativity to meet the demands of technological and economic advancement,” she said.
Jim Chandler, Charles County director of economic development, highlighted how such assets drive investments in aviation and aerospace. “These assets are the base of our economic strategy and a catalyst for future development in the area,” Chandler said. “We’re seeing significant investments in and around Indian Head to serve the growing workforce, including restaurants, hotels, and other amenities to improve the quality of life for all who live, work, or visit here.” County reports from October 2025 detail ongoing efforts to leverage these for private-sector growth, including financing through the Maryland Industrial Development Financing Authority.
A key topic was CSM’s forthcoming Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Maintenance Technology, set to launch in fall 2026 as the first such program in Maryland. Approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission in March 2025, it integrates Federal Aviation Administration Part 147 certification for airframe and powerplant mechanics, requiring 1,900 clock hours of training in areas like diagnostics, hydraulics, composites and FAA regulations. The curriculum, developed with a 30-member advisory board of industry, government and military representatives, addresses a 10 percent technician shortage noted in the Aviation Technician Education Council’s 2025 Pipeline Report. Maryland anticipates more than 12 percent job growth in aircraft mechanics through 2034, outpacing the national five percent rate, fueled by retirements and demand near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, which supports 33,000 jobs and $8.7 billion in annual economic output across Charles, Calvert and St. Mary’s counties.
Dr. Wilson noted the program’s role in retaining talent locally. “Many of our community partners have shared that there is a strong need for aviation maintenance technicians, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to fill that talent pipeline,” she said. “This program gives students a viable career path to support themselves and their families, while allowing them to live, train and remain in southern Maryland.” Dr. Bernice Brezina, dean of the School of STEM and Professional Studies, outlined the approval hurdles, which included proving unmet demand and statewide uniqueness. “Receiving MHEC approval is a big step forward in reaching our goal of offering a program to fill essential industry positions,” Brezina said. “We had to show that there was a need and that there was no duplicated program across the state. Another critical piece was to show that we had community support. We’re very pleased to have the backing from our community and the state.”
Early interest has prompted dual-enrollment ties with Charles County high schools and outreach to veteran groups for entry pathways. The program also aligns with a new aviation maintenance concentration in the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s bachelor’s degree, creating a ladder to advanced roles.
Alsobrooks also probed AI’s regional implications, prompting Wilson to detail CSM’s cross-institutional task force, formed in spring 2025 and co-chaired by Valarie Burks, vice president of information management and technology, and Dr. Stephanie McCaslin, dean of learning resources. The group examines ethics, security, privacy, policy, environmental impacts and curriculum integration across eight areas, including faculty training and infrastructure. Sessions begin in the 2025-26 academic year through the Michelle Simpson Center for Teaching and Learning, tying into the college’s Built for Success strategic plan. “AI is a resource that can improve operational efficiency and advance technological innovation, but you have to engage key stakeholders to establish appropriate guidelines and boundaries for effective and ethical implementation,” Wilson said.
The senator praised the efforts. “I am encouraged and really impressed with all the work that has been done. We’ve used every single asset available in Charles County,” she said. “It’s not just what we have today, but the aviation program is going to ensure that we are building into the future, and I think that’s so important.” She concluded by affirming commitments to workforce innovation and future collaborations.
The Western Charles Technology Corridor builds on Charles County’s push to diversify beyond traditional sectors, with updates presented to commissioners in September 2025 emphasizing transportation links and urban redevelopment. Since its founding in 1958 as Charles County Community College, CSM has placed more than 1,200 technical graduates annually in regional roles, bolstering resilience in a tri-county economy tied to defense and aviation. The corridor’s growth, including a nearing-completion Maryland Technology Center with 5,000 square feet of training labs, positions Southern Maryland as a defense-tech nexus.
