Tech Citizenship

Stuart

Parametric Technology Corp. has taken its primary charitable focus — education — and is looking to make it global. First stop, Minnesota.

The Needham-based company has launched its Global Engineering Initiative, aiming to bring experience in software to secondary and undergraduate students through donations of its primary software products, Windchill and ProEngineer.

Minnesota was where the program was piloted, and so far PTC has trained about 300 students. As a side benefit, the company has landed Gov. Tim Pawlenty to keynote the upcoming PTC Users Conference, according to John Stuart, senior vice president of global partners and education.

PTC is now looking to launch the initiative in other states. Rhode Island will probably be the first New England state to join the initiative, Stuart said.

Giving out free software to schools has a long tradition at PTC. According to Stuart, more than 280 schools use PTC’s design software in the Bay State alone. “What our company does, instead of donating lots of cash, we invest in (donating) software, we develop curricula, and we invest in teachers who can deploy it in the classroom,” Stuart said. “We have a certificate program that, once they pass, they get 300 licenses they can install in the classroom. Parents would much rather have (kids) using 3-D design software at home than (playing) Grand Theft Auto and such games.”

Stuart thinks every tech company should be in touch with local schools.

“Reach out to the schools, get kids into your company, give them a cubicle, give them a laptop and have them work on real projects.”

Citizenship Facts

Parametric Technology Corp.

Total cash contributions in New England in 2006: $226,675

Number of volunteer hours in New England in 2006: N/A

In-kind contributions of equipment and services in New England: $45,000,000

Principal recipients of charitable activities in 2006: City Year; Museum of Science; Bank of America Celebrity Series; Pan Mass Challenge

Interesting philanthropic activities: PTC participated in City Year service day and raised funds in the Pan Mass Challenge, the Walk for Breast Cancer and the Walk for MS.

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