The Brooklyn STEAM Center, a nationally recognized model for career and technical education, is expanding its footprint at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to meet growing demand for skilled talent in some of today’s fastest-evolving industries.
The expansion, unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 22, adds 27,000-square-feet of space and six new hands-on career pathways, doubling student enrollment from 300 to 600.
The center’s new programs will prepare young New Yorkers for high-demand careers in HVAC (climate control systems), game design, industrial product realization, manufacturing, live production technology and audio engineering.
“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,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
This milestone reflects New York City Public Schools’ broader goal of enrolling 100,000 students in market-aligned pathways by 2030, ensuring every graduate leaves school with practical skills, a clear postsecondary plan and a strong start toward a career.
City officials joined leadership from the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) and the Brooklyn STEAM Center to celebrate the opening, highlighting a public–private education model now being studied across the nation for replication.
At its core, the STEAM Center brings together students from public high schools across the city to learn alongside industry professionals at the Navy Yard, where more than 550 companies operate in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, life sciences and creative technology.
Since opening in 2017, the Brooklyn STEAM Center has built a reputation as a launchpad for students ready to turn classroom learning into real-world opportunity. To date, its students 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.
The program’s unique model allows students to split time between their home high schools and the Navy Yard campus, gaining hands-on experience in pathways co-designed with employers.
“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.”
