When people talk about what inspired their success, they often refer back to a specific event while growing up that changed their outlook – whether that be an astronaut watching a shuttle launch on the TV, a construction worker’s love of LEGO or even our very own PJ Farr’s fascination with how data can travel across vast differences from the most isolated of locations. One thing many of these stories have in common is that they incorporate some aspect of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) learning.
As covered in our What is STEM? Blog post, STEM learning encourages children and young people in education to learn about these four key subjects using an interdisciplinary and applied approach. This helps them develop their skills and apply their knowledge to the things they’re learning about in real-life situations.
How can STEM education shape the future?
In addition to the love of learning that STEM activities can inspire, this knowledge will hold young people in good stead as they head out into the wide world and start to earn a living. In recent years, there has been a shortage of workers not only in the construction industry but also in Maths, Science, Technology and Computer Science roles so if they are engaged from a young age, there are sure to be more and more job opportunities coming their way – and the average starting salary for these roles have a 26% higher salary than those that don’t require any knowledge of STEM.
Percentage of jobs that require STEM skills
Computing – 71%
Traditional engineering – 16%
Physical science – 7%
Life science – 4%
Maths – 2%
STEM offers a good grounding for full-time work – and the way it’s taught can be tailored to individuals of any academic ability. Whether a student prefers hands-on learning or to sit back and absorb the information, they’ll find a STEM solution that works for them. It’s also very inclusive – which fits in with our ethos – and connects what’s talked about in the classroom with how things work in the real world. A knowledge of STEM doesn’t only benefit young people either, it enhances teacher training and improves their professional development.
The number of STEM-related jobs is constantly increasing. Future technical workers and industry leaders will all have a passion and knowledge for STEM, which again will inspire the workers beneath them. Don’t let your children get left behind – inspire them and raise their aspirations today.
The Farr Foundation is a charity that supports organisations dedicated to inspiring school-aged children, raising their aspirations through STEM-related (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) activities. We do this through the provision of grant funding throughout the calendar year.
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