SpaceTEC

SpaceTEC is a Cocoa, Florida-based nonprofit national resource center for aerospace technical education, founded in 2002 and located near Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Space Coast. The organization addresses a frequently overlooked workforce gap in the space industry: while much attention focuses on engineers and scientists, the actual hardware of space exploration — launch vehicles, satellites, ground systems, test equipment — is built, assembled, tested, and maintained by skilled aerospace technicians, and this workforce needs industry-standardized training and credentials.

SpaceTEC develops curriculum standards, competency frameworks, and professional certifications for aerospace and space technicians covering disciplines including composites fabrication, avionics assembly and test, precision machining, welding to aerospace standards, non-destructive inspection (NDI), propulsion system assembly, and space vehicle ground operations. These certifications are recognized by NASA, DoD contractors, and commercial space employers throughout the industry.

The organization works with community colleges, technical schools, and vocational training programs across the US to align their curricula with actual industry needs — particularly critical as the Space Coast workforce expands to support SpaceX, Boeing, ULA, and the growing Kennedy Space Center launch manifest. SpaceTEC also publishes technical workforce data and works with the Florida Department of Education to ensure aerospace technical education pipelines can meet the growing demand from the commercial space sector.