What do a biochemist, a wind turbine engineer, and an IT specialist all have in common?
Give up yet?
The answer: they’re all STEM professionals. You’ll see “STEM” brought up a lot in relation to education and employment…but what does it mean?
“STEM” is a four-letter acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” and it covers a wide range of academic disciplines and career fields.
Encouraging education in these fields is incredibly important to foster a generation of innovative thinkers. Not just that, but many of the fastest-growing and most important jobs are in STEM-related careers. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing a shortage in new students entering these fields relative to what we need. That means we’ll be facing a shortage of workers trained to fill critical roles in just a few years’ time.
The United Sates will require more than 1 million additional graduates with degrees in science and technology to fill the growing number of jobs…but how? We’ve got a few ideas:
#1. Get Kids Interested Early
Eighth graders who are already interested in STEM are three times more likely to pursue a degree in a related field. Exposing kids to science at an early age can help guide their interest and turn it into a lifelong passion. Just about any city will offer numerous opportunities to help inspire a love of science and technology in young children; here in the Tampa Bay area, for example, we have:
- The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
- The Glazer Children’s Museum
- Lowry Park Zoo
- The Florida Aquarium
- The Clearwater Aquarium
That’s not even naming State Parks and other natural attractions!
#2. Show Kids Why It Matters
A lot of young people may not be able to see the real practical applications of the math and science lessons they learn in school. But, STEM plays an incredible role in shaping the world the around us.
Science is all about looking at reality and, rather than accepting what is, seeing the potential of what could be. This is especially true for groups that are traditionally underrepresented in technical fields, as the value of diverse perspectives in science is now very clear. The range of opportunities for young people with a passion for these fields will grow wider…we just need to encourage them and help them understand that those paths are open to them.
#3. Fund It!
Getting kids interested in science is just the first step. From there, it’s a little more complicated…especially once money is involved.
We tend to undervalue STEM education; to demonstrate, just look at how we typically allocate scholarship dollars. Sure, there are scholarship opportunities—this list of the top 25 STEM scholarships compiled by College Consensus is a good place to start—but we still don’t do a great job showing that we really understand STEM’s value.
Chicago-based engineering firm KDM Engineering compared the amount of money provided in an average year in sports scholarships to academic awards in STEM fields. The results were surprising:
Total Annual Awards:
| Athletic scholarships awarded to NCAA Division I & II athletes each year | $2.9 Billion |
| Academic scholarships awarded to STEM students each year | $1.6 Billion |
Annual Investment per Individual:
| STEM Student | $456 |
| Student Athlete | $19,333 |
Average Career Length (Post-College):
| STEM Worker | 40-45 years |
| Professional Athlete | 3-5 years |
Jobs Available After Graduation:
| STEM Positions | 8.6 million |
| Professional Athletes | 11,800 |
Don’t take this the wrong way; we’re not saying that college sports are a bad thing.
Athletic scholarships can provide access to life-changing educational opportunities for thousands of young people willing to put their talents to use each year. However, student athletes don’t always benefit from these scholarships as much as they might expect…nor is there much support for them if things go wrong.
Given the prospects for athletes and STEM careers post-college…maybe we should examine our priorities. We need to be advocates for STEM education.