Everyone has a story. I have a story. I tell my story often because I don’t want the same thing to happen to other people. However, my story gets old, so we want to hear your stories.
We have a problem that needs a solution: not enough students stay on a STEM path in school, and therefore we have a workforce development issue in STEM industries.
We think one way to combat this issue is to shatter the stereotypes of who works in these industries. So how do we do that? We can tell your stories. Who are you? What kind of things do you like? What did your journey to get where you are look like?
Your stories give students (especially girls and minorities) an example of what their lives could look like. They can see their future selves in you. We want to provide educators, parents, and students with real stories and content that is relevant and will inspire students to continue on a STEM path (and ultimately want to come work for you).
Another way to break down these stereotypes is to show students what current and future STEM jobs really look like. We want to open their minds to discover that working in a STEM field doesn’t mean they’ll be stuck in a lab or at a computer all day. So what does your company do? How does your organization apply STEM concepts that students are learning to what the company does on a daily basis. And how does your company affect the rest of the world? Why do you exist, and what would our lives be like without the things you do?
Other things that are helpful:
- Any videos of interviews or activities with employees
- Any fun activities your organization does outside of an office setting
- Anything your organization does that would seem outside of the box (something less traditional or non-stereotypical) that we could share with students to show them more about potential careers in this industry
- Any cool experiments or STEM activities that relate to what your organization does
We’re also asking for students and educators to share their stories with us, and we’ll ultimately have a series on these, so check back for that.
If you’d like to contribute content like this to help us encourage the next generation of STEM leaders, please reach out to Paige Barnes.