Have you tried these ways of attracting your students to STEM subjects?
In today’s world, careers in STEM are sought after. It is a sector that is growing every year. STEM has excellent opportunities for students who choose this career path. Currently, women make up 27% of the workforce across all STEM industries, which is a decrease from 2020. A diverse workforce, with more females in the industry, benefits everybody. So how do we get more students to take STEM subjects and head down this career pathway?
Tip Number 1:
Engage with female role models who can show real-life examples of what STEM can achieve. A past student coming in for a presentation and a Q&A session could be the catalyst to spark the interest of a student.
Tip Number 2:
Offering an exciting educational tour like Space Camp Huntsville or Europe STEM. Once the students are on the tour, the realisation of exactly where this career can take them is very impactful. A school that returned from a NASA Stem Trip provided the following feedback. ‘As a result of this trip, we have three students considering picking up mechanical engineering at university, and a host of students considering STEM-related A-Levels’.
Tip Number 3:
Have clear discussions about gender stereotypes and discuss why they are incorrect. Address the problem at its core and provide examples of how females can be exceptional in STEM roles.
Tip Number 4:
Find a STEM topic that the students are showing enthusiasm for and turn it into a school club. Go beyond the classroom and encourage your student's STEM interests.
Tip Number 5:
Parental influence can be a big factor in which subjects a student chooses to study. Talk to the guardian of a student who is showing an interest in STEM subjects and check that you are on the same page. Parents might by pigeonholing their daughters into having certain career aspirations. If their daughter showed a dislike for maths at a young age, a guardian may discount STEM subjects for them. Yet, their daughter's interests may have evolved and changed.
