Rep. James McGovern to Deliver Keynote Address at Raytheon/Worcester Polytechnic Systems Engineering Master's Degree Program Celebration

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., May 11, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., will deliver the keynote address to the graduating class of a joint Raytheon/Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Systems Engineering Master's Degree program May 12, 2006, at Charter Oaks Country Club in Hudson, Mass.

The Systems Engineering Master's Degree program is fully accredited, receiving support of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership. It offers current and aspiring Raytheon systems engineers a unique form of training to help them better perform leadership roles necessary for complex product and process development.

In addition to helping fill the crucial need for systems engineers, the program enables employees to continue working on existing projects while earning a master's degree from WPI on site at the Raytheon Marlborough, Mass., facility in less than two years.

Jerry Powlen, vice president, Integrated Communications Systems and Marlborough site executive, said, "This educational program is aligned with the strategic and organizational objectives of Raytheon Network Centric Systems and fosters a learning culture as a core competency. Delivery of this world class educational program directly to Raytheon engineers enables them to sharpen their skills and leverage their capabilities to maximize value for our customers."

With an increased role as Mission Systems Integrator, Raytheon forecasts a 20 percent growth rate in systems engineering positions. This, in conjunction with Raytheon's commitment to employee career development, led to the partnership with WPI to establish a program tailored to the company's specific technical and business directives. The program also meets requirements of the U.S. H1-B visa program to develop domestic capabilities.

The Raytheon Company's Network Centric Systems (NCS) Marlborough, Mass., site is the headquarters for the Airspace Management and Homeland Security (AMHS), Command and Control Systems (C2S) and Integrated Communications Systems (ICS) business areas. Northeast Engineering is the largest organization in the facility, providing systems, software and hardware designs for the three business areas.

Raytheon Company , with 2005 sales of $21.9 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

Note to Editors:

Currently serving his fifth term in Congress, Rep. McGovern was first sworn in as U.S. Representative for Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District on January 7, 1997. McGovern has been elected by his New England colleagues to the House Democratic Leadership team as a Regional Whip. McGovern is the second-ranking Democrat on the House Rules Committee, which sets the terms for debate and amendments on most legislation.

Contact: Elizabeth Diamond 508.490.3757 Mary Beth Hodgkiss 508.490.2607