What are the top challenges facing our nation when it comes to the STEM-worker shortage?

The National Association of Manufacturing and Deloitte predicts the United States will need to fill about 3.5 million jobs by 2025. As many as 2 million of those jobs may go unfilled. Having lots of jobs is great, but not having enough people trained to solve big problems is actually a huge issue for the economy and for the country. Emerson’s fourth annual STEM survey found 2 out of 5 Americans believe the STEM-worker shortage is at crisis levels.

How can we fill the STEM-worker shortage?

It comes down to education and awareness. STEM education is hard — I’m not going to pretend it isn’t. But we’ve got to make it clear that this isn’t just about getting a good job, it’s about having a toolkit that helps you see the world differently and be a part of some of the most important work being done in the world today.

Why is it important to continue investing in STEM education?

I think sometimes we only see a pretty narrow view of what a STEM job is, but from fashion to food to manufacturing, STEM is powering the future of every industry. Getting kids interested early is key. Cultivating that interest throughout their educational journey helps reinforce the incredible things they can achieve through STEM.

How can parents keep their kids engaged in STEM subjects?

Like anything in our lives, investing our time is the most important thing. Kids are curious, but if they see us shut down when we don’t know the answer to a question, they’re going to notice. Every time a kid asks us a question we don’t know the answer to, the first instinct is frustration. But something as simple as saying, “I don’t know, let’s find out together” can show kids how much joy there is in learning.

Emerson’s recent survey found only 1 in 3 adults believe teachers have the resources they need to provide a quality STEM education. Some organizations, like Girls Who Code or Emerson through its “We Love STEM” campaign, are stepping up to fill the gaps, but we have to give teachers the tools they need.

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Women represent about one-half of the U.S. workforce but just one-quarter of STEM jobs. By 2020, there will be 1.4 million computing-related job openings — women are on track to fill only 3 percent of these openings. We can and should do better.

Advancement value

One way to get there is to promote deserving women to leadership positions. A study by the Anita Borg Institute found that Fortune 500 companies with at least three women directors have higher returns on sales. We are smart, creative, think outside of the box and bring tremendous value to the workforce. Although some technology associations have membership that is majority female, it isn’t the norm. And all too often, women aren’t seen in senior management positions.

We also need to encourage more young women to study computer science and related fields. There are many technology organizations out there designed to boost STEM education, such as Girls Who Code, which strives to close the gender gap in technology by teaching middle-and-high-school-aged girls how to code.

Forging connections

Technology tradeshows gather industry leaders from around the world to see the future, connect, do business and grow the tech economy. They get the chance to witness the diversity of products and also the diversity of people involved in making these amazing innovations.  The hope is that through these types of connections, we can inspire women and build workplaces that better reflect the true value of our diversity.

Karen Chupka, Senior Vice President, CES and Corporate Business Strategy, CTA, us.editorial@mediaplanet.com

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The workplace of the future

Students are going from the drawing board to the launch pad and beyond with none other than world aeronautics cornerstone, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). By 3D printing astronautic tools and even launching high-powered rockets, students make their ideas into reality and hone the tech skills needed for success in the workplace of the future.

With an extensive portfolio of learning activities, NASA has partnered with formal and informal education providers in order to sharpen students’ skills in critical thinking, analysis, hardware fabrication and software programming. As they gain real-world experience, students play an active role in the research and development of next-generation propulsion systems, flight hardware and human research programs to benefit humanity and take humans beyond low-Earth orbit.

And while finishing first may be fun, it’s never the most important aspect of these educational opportunities. Each program is designed for students to apply the lessons learned in class toward relevant research in the engineering, aeronautics and aerospace industries. With hundreds of student opportunities at 10 NASA centers across the country, this article will highlight three supported by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  

Where no 3D printer has gone before

As humans venture farther from Earth, their resources will be limited and resupply missions are expensive. Young innovators are addressing this issue through the Future Engineers space challenges, a multi-year education initiative helping kids research and engineer solutions for space exploration. Future Engineers conducts these challenges through collaboration between NASA and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Foundation.

Students learn to use 3D modeling software to submit inventions capable of solving real needs in space — but 3D printers aren’t required, only bright ideas and free digital software. Since 2014, students have created thousands of designs, ranging from tools, containers and medical devices. This includes the first student-designed 3D printed part in space as well as two medical device designs intended for the journey to Mars. The next challenge begins in fall 2017. (Sign up now at www.futureengineers.org.)

Soaring to STEAM success

Each year, young people prove it really is rocket science as they demonstrate advanced rocketry and engineering skills with mile-high rocket launches. During NASA’s Student Launch, students from home, middle and high schools as well as colleges across the nation build and fly serious flight/scientific hardware. After launching their single-stage rockets, students collect real-time data from onboard payloads, then deploy automated parachute systems to safely land for reuse.

Students benefit by engaging in the same processes used by NASA engineers, emulating the criteria for flight design reviews and safety protocols. This ensures that designs align with current projects, including the Space Launch System, NASA’s next deep-space exploration rocket.

Revving up for rover racing

Could you tackle an obstacle course designed to mimic the terrestrial terrain of distant moons, planets and asteroids? For more than a quarter of a century, that’s what students have done during NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge. High school and college students design chassis and drive-train systems capable of providing proper gear ratio, then build a rover using metal lathes, drill presses, welding tools and other machinery.

As if an “out-of-this-world” course isn’t challenging enough, students are prohibited from purchasing wheels that are commercially available; This ensures wheels are a creative design straight from the minds of students and not off-the-shelf products. In years past, wheels were made from aircraft-grade aluminum alloys, silicone rubber molds and even soy-based proteins via 3D printing.

Experience is the best teacher

NASA brings diverse, young minds together, inspiring them to pursue STEAM careers. Each successful event brings us one step closer to another generation of scientists and explorers. (Learn more by following NASA Education on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NASAedu, or on the web at https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education.)

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