The United States is trailing competing nations in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education threatening the prosperity of our nation's most vital industries. Internationally, our students rank below other large or high-income economies in math and science assessments while interest and proficiency in STEM-related careers is declining. The adoption of new technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence and cloud computing are compounding existing workforce demands creating a skills gap for American employers. Should U.S. workers fail to meet STEM employers' job needs, our nation could lose competitiveness in the industries that provide its economic edge. This study focused on STEM Learning Ecosystems (SLEs), a form of cross-sector collaboration and problem-solving innovation to strengthen the STEM workforce, and the role that industry partners bring to them. This qualitative research study focused on an in-depth analysis of five SLEs from the same network, interviewing 18 cross-sector participants. Analysis of the data indicated that the structure and configuration of SLEs varied. The focus of the SLE's also varied in garnering cross-sector input. There were two types of industry partners: funders and dealmakers: those who funded initiatives and those who were looking for sales opportunities within the SLE. Both types participated in activities that served the interests of building a STEM-proficient workforce. Using the framework of social exchange theory, the study evaluated the types of resources that sector partners valued. Industry partners valued building social capital, involvement in student learning, and the workforce development opportunities they gained from participating in the SLE. Further research is needed to focus on the effects of funders and dealmakers in an SLE, on the types and frequency of interactions between either type of partner, and their contribution to emergent solutions. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]