Testimonials
What Our Students/Parents Say
Here’s what our students, parents, school districts, and service providers are saying…
My daughter would do STEMSkills year round if she could! Eric has developed an amazing program that exposes students to a wide variety of fields and careers that teens with disabilities are often not introduced to. STEMSkills raises the bar, and the students rise to it. Eric's passion and commitment are evidenced throughout the program, especially in the way he and his team treat each student with respect and take a genuine interest in their individual desires and interests.
Kristen C.
Parent
STEMSkills is a program that builds students' confidence and courage to step out of their comfort zone as well as practice essential skills for the corporate world. These essential skills involve understanding how to use the Metro Transit, network with companies, and build friendships with other students. Getting exposure to the behind-the-scenes of corporate jobs and participating in different STEM activities through STEMSkills will be the first step to opening up a door to many different opportunities.
Yabsera M.
Student and Intern
My experience with STEMSkills has been great. The first year when I joined the program, I learned how to use the metro, and by the end of the program, I was comfortable riding on my own. My favorite program was Nova Labs because I learned how to use Tinkercad and how to do 3D designs and electronics. In my second year of STEMSkills, I really enjoyed going to Virginia Tech. My enjoyable moment was building the robot and learning about wires and traffic lights. I also really loved going to Dewberry and learning about how construction works and what software is used, such as: AutoDesk, RVT 3D modeling software, rendering software, and Photoshop. I got so much exposure because I used some of that software to practice what I had learned, and it felt like Dewberry was my job.
STEMSkills has helped me grow by guiding my career choice and showing me what independence and responsibility look like, including how to pick the right colleges to attend after high school.
Reyan M.
Student
I would like to talk to you about my experience at STEMSkills and how it helped me. I did it in the summer of August 2023 for two weeks and this past summer June-July. It is a really fun program because we learn how to ride the metro. We also visit different jobs and colleges for Example Nova Community College, George Mason University, Dc Streetcar, Dewberry, Virginia Tech, and etc. This program made me confident because I explored some graphic design career options that I want to do after high school. Also I saw colleges that I might want to go to. This is how StemSkills helped me.
Zayd. M.
Student
Here in Fairfax County Public Schools, we are proud to offer a wide array of opportunities to our students who are neurodiverse to help them build their skills around workplace readiness, planning for their future and with hands-on, experiential learning with practical applications. Recently, FCPS partnered with STEMSkills, led by Mr. Eric Duer and community business partner, Dewberry for a successful summer program that brought invaluable STEM career experiences to our students.
With STEMSkills focus on inclusivity, particularly in providing opportunities for neurodiverse students, was evident in every aspect of the program. The collaboration between FCPS, STEMSkills, and Dewberry offered our students unique insights into STEM careers, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an engaging and supportive environment. I highly recommend STEMSkills as a partner for any organization looking to provide innovative and impactful career and workforce programming. Their dedication to student success is truly exceptional.
Shira Brothers,
Career and Transition Services,
Career and Transition Services,
Fairfax County Public Schools
We’ve been learning from Eric for several years since we met him at an employment conference. We most recently shadowed with the great STEMSkills program staff, and he consulted about how to organize for providing pre-employment transition services. We look forward to his ongoing support as we provide services to youth for the first time. Eric’s consult is based in years of creative teaching and service provision; his approach is easy to implement.
With STEMSkills focus on inclusivity, particularly in providing opportunities for neurodiverse students, was evident in every aspect of the program. The collaboration between FCPS, STEMSkills, and Dewberry offered our students unique insights into STEM careers, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an engaging and supportive environment. I highly recommend STEMSkills as a partner for any organization looking to provide innovative and impactful career and workforce programming. Their dedication to student success is truly exceptional.
Sherry Beamer
Director of Services, SEEC
