How can teachers, schools, and districts impact STEM careers in the future? Careers of the future are greatly impacted by experiences students have in schools. Students build skills at an early age that influence the areas they want to study further. In order to make sure the STEM fields have diverse, qualified candidates, we can help build a more equitable STEM careers pipeline, starting in elementary school.
Today on the blog, I’m very excited to share the STEM Careers Coalition. This organization prepares millions of students for the future of work. They do this by providing equitable access to digital content and experiences that engage and inspire students. Let’s take a look at everything The STEM Careers Coalition offers students and teachers!
STEM Careers Through STEM Education
The STEM Careers Coalition helps students build foundational STEM knowledge. Their resources support teachers as they work with students to develop critical skills for college and career success in STEM. These free educational resources help you integrate STEM activities into any learning environment.
If you haven’t heard of the STEM Careers Coalition, they launched in 2019 and have reached millions of students. They work with both K-12 schools and afterschool centers across the country to help educators teach STEM effectively. The coalition is committed to fostering and promoting quality education. They want to strengthen the STEM pipeline and build the next generation of STEM solution-seekers. In addition, they have an intentional focus on racial and gender equity.
A few days ago, I had the chance to chat with Jackie Smalls, Social Impact Executive at Discovery Education, for a bonus episode of the Easy EdTech Podcast. You can hear our full conversation on this page. Or on your favorite podcast app, or by clicking below to press play and listen right away.
Help Every Student Access STEM Careers
When we hear about particular fields that have trouble filling positions and lack diversity, the pipeline starts early. Introducing students to STEM concepts early in their educational journey, both inside the classroom and through afterschool programs can have a huge impact on their future.
The STEM Careers Coalition gives educators access to resources, including completely free classroom activities. You’ll find activities on a wide variety of topics, including brand-new resources featuring energy sources. This includes activities on renewable vs. non-renewable energy, solar energy, and protecting energy in natural disasters.
To help students imagine the possibilities for a future in STEM, they can also learn about STEM leaders and explore career profiles. There are many for them to take a look at, including new ones like these roles at Procter & Gamble: FemCare Research and Development Director and Digital Forensics. This link will take students to a page where they can use different search filters as they explore various STEM careers.
After students explore different activities and learn about different careers, they can map out their careers and gather ideas for the future in the Career Readiness section of the site. This is where students can take the Career Finder quiz or participate in activities that help them identify their passions and interests.
Equity in STEM
The resources shared by the STEM Careers Coalition can help build a more equitable STEM career pipeline. These no-cost activities and online supports provide educators at all levels with activities they can bring into their classrooms and afterschool programs. If you’re interested in helping students see what is possible for them in the future, and introduce them to a variety of careers in STEM, then you’ll certainly want to explore everything the STEM Careers Coalition has to offer.
