City officials join Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to celebrate expansion of innovative technical education model preparing students for careers in high-growth industries and opportunities to replicate a proven model in all five boroughs
NEW YORK, October 22, 2025 – The Brooklyn STEAM Center, a nationally recognized model for career and technical education (CTE), is expanding its innovative programming at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to meet rising demand for talent in some of today’s fastest growing industries. With a significant expansion, adding 27,000 square feet and six new hands-on career pathways, the Brooklyn STEAM Center will double enrollment to 600 students, preparing more young New Yorkers for jobs in HVAC (climate control systems), game design, industrial product realization, manufacturing, live production technology, and audio engineering. This expansion reflects NYC Public Schools’ bold commitment to enroll 100,000 students in market-aligned pathways by 2030 — ensuring every graduate leaves with real-world skills, a strong postsecondary plan, and a head start on a thriving career.
City officials joined leadership from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) and the Brooklyn STEAM Center to unveil the expansion and celebrate a proven educational model with the potential for replication citywide.
“From my time as borough president to my work at City Hall, I am proud to have supported the Brooklyn STEAM Center every step of the way,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “By bringing together up-and-coming talent, cutting-edge companies, and world-class space, the Brooklyn STEAM Center is helping boost our economy today and laying the foundation for good-paying jobs tomorrow. With this expansion, we will help even more young people get in on the ground floor of emerging sectors and reinforce, once again, that New York City is open for business.”
“The work happening at the Brooklyn STEAM Center is nothing short of transformative,” said Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “Our students are building, creating, and seeing their future careers come to life. This center connects our students to life-changing opportunities, and we are so grateful that this expansion will allow more students to gain these experiences. We’re proud to stand with our partners in making sure every student has the tools and skills to achieve their dreams.”
“I have seen firsthand how engaged and confident the students at the Brooklyn STEAM Center are, whether they are in the sound recording studio or the machine shop, and I know the STEAM Center to be not only an incredible launching pad for its students but a model for career and technical education nationwide,” said Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “I applaud the Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City Public Schools, and the other employers and partners that have contributed to the STEAM Center’s successful expansion, which will extend the school’s impact even further.”
“The expansion of the Brooklyn STEAM Center is a powerful affirmation of what’s possible when education is deeply connected to community, industry, and innovation,” said Dr. Lester W. Young, Jr., Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents. “This model exemplifies our vision for equity-driven, student-centered learning—where young people are not only prepared for the workforce but empowered to shape it. By placing students in real-world environments and aligning curriculum with emerging industries, the STEAM Center is helping to redefine public education across New York State.”
“The Navy Yard has always been where innovation meets opportunity, and the Brooklyn STEAM Center perfectly embodies that mission,” said Lindsay Greene, President & CEO of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC). “At the Yard, we are constantly working to support the future of work—whether by growing advanced manufacturing, clean energy, or life sciences companies, or by preparing the next generation of New Yorkers to lead in those industries. This expansion means more students will gain the skills and experience that drive both personal success and our city’s economic future.”
“Since its founding in 2017, the Brooklyn STEAM Center has been reimagining high school education by offering career aligned, hands-on learning that helps students earn industry-recognized credentials and develop job skills for the future,” said Hank Gutman, Board Chair of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. “This expansion allows the Center to directly respond to labor market demands, creating on-ramps into clean energy, technology and skilled trades, sectors critical to the economic future of New York City, and our Nation.”
“The Brooklyn STEAM Center represents the future of public education, one that blends imagination with industry, purpose with possibility,” said Dr. Kayon Pryce, Founding Principal of the Brooklyn STEAM Center. “When students are trusted with real tools, real challenges, and real expectations, they don’t just learn, they lead. This expansion allows us to extend that vision to even more young people across the city, preparing them to shape the industries and communities of tomorrow.”
“The Brooklyn STEAM Center’s expansion represents a growing belief in what’s possible when schools are located alongside industry partners, putting the future of work within arm’s reach for students,” said Diallo Shabazz, CEO of STEAM Engine. “STEAM Engine was created to ensure public schools like the Brooklyn STEAM Center can exist in every borough, providing students from multiple high schools across New York City with access to high-quality education, technical training, and professional skill development that prepares them for lifelong success.”
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation in partnership with New York City Public Schools and STEAM Engine (the nonprofit intermediary created to support citywide infrastructure for STEAM Center, seeded with initial funding secured by BNYDC to support the expansion of Brooklyn STEAM Center), has played a central role in the Brooklyn STEAM Center’s success by serving as a key partner and connector, leveraging the Navy Yard’s vibrant ecosystem of more than 550 companies to shape curriculum, host site visits, and offer paid internships. This unique collaboration immerses students in a modern industrial environment and allows them to engage directly with businesses solving real-world challenges.
To date, students at the Brooklyn STEAM Center have earned more than 2,200 industry certifications, completed over 1,400 college credits, and collectively received more than $1.4 million in paid internships. Students in the Brooklyn STEAM Center program split time between their home high schools and the Navy Yard campus to experience hands-on training co-designed with industry partners in fields related to the existing pathways such as design, engineering, healthcare, and technology. Students graduate not only with academic credentials, but also a tangible understanding of how their skills translate into real-world value—empowering them to recognize the worth of their time, expertise and ambitions.
Interest in the Brooklyn STEAM Center model has grown nationally and internationally. Since its launch, the Center has hosted more than 500 delegations from schools, nonprofits, and government agencies studying its integrated approach to education and workforce development. In 2023, the model inspired the launch of the Bronx STEAM Center, which opened its doors at a pilot site in September, while its permanent home is in development.
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About the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) is a not-for-profit corporation that serves as the real estate developer and property manager of the Yard on behalf of its owner, the City of New York. BNYDC’s mission is to fuel New York City’s economic vitality by creating and preserving quality jobs, growing the City’s modern industrial sector and its businesses, and connecting the local community with the economic opportunity and resources of the Yard. BNYDC helps connect local talent to quality jobs via the Al Wiltshire Employment Center and the Brooklyn STEAM Center high school located on the campus. BNYDC’s vision is a vibrant and dense, modern manufacturing community where businesses are provided the stability needed to invest, grow, and thrive and where diverse candidates can attain quality jobs. brooklynnavyyard.org/
About New York City Public Schools: New York City Public Schools is a testament to the history and impact of urban education in the United States. With over 1,600 schools spread across five boroughs, the system is made up of approximately 1.1 million students and staff, making it the largest public school system in the nation. These schools employ more than 75,000 teachers who deliver a rich tapestry of educational experiences to a student body that reflects the city’s vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. This network of educational institutions represents not just the scale of New York City’s commitment to public education, but also its dedication to fostering a learning environment that is as dynamic and diverse as the city itself.