As we look at unemployment, ” There are 3.6 unemployed workers for every job in the United States. That compares with only one unemployed (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) STEM worker for two unfilled STEM jobs throughout the country’” according to Change the Equation, a STEM organization. These fields are underrepresented by African-Americans, Hispanics and women. There will be an increased necessity for these groups to further their education in these fields to be more competitive and marketable in the job place. These career paths usually provide higher salaries as well as other rewards making the investment in higher education even more palatable! According to some students surveyed for an organization gauging youth’s innovation, part of the problem is that more than 1/3 did not know enough about STEM fields; 1/3 thought STEM was too challenging; nearly 1/3 didn’t feel prepared to study it at a higher level. I believe with the adoption of Common Core Standards in 45 states, that more students will feel informed and prepared for higher education in general, and STEM fields specifically. This would require properly implementing and assessing these standards! Schools will have to find more creative ways to infuse STEM with its 21st century curriculum! It is also important to Invest in after-school programs that not only focus on STEM preparation and careers, but also focus on the Arts that can help one’s Performance in and Appreciation for STEM. Thus, inserting the “A” for Arts into STEM, can allow “The Little Engine That Could” to move “Full STEAM Ahead” keeping our 21st century education train of excellence moving on the right track!
Read STEM article at Huffington Post.
Read Jobs Require More Education article at Huffington Post.
Education Nation, Revolution is Being Televised-Brenda Martin, Panelist
Debate and Switch's Blog 
While many of us appreciate and enjoy exploring knowledge for its own sake, the reality is that we all need to find employment to support our desires and interests at some point In life. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), about 1.7 million new and replacement doctoral-level jobs and about 0.9 million master’s jobs will open in this decade, comprising 4.7% of the total openings for new and replacement needs. In addition, 8.5 million openings are projected for bachelor’s degrees, at 15.6% of the total.
If we consider that over half of high school graduates enter college, “following their heart’s dreams”, most of them will be disappointed when they encounter a job market that can accept only one-quarter of ALL the jobs available, at best. Many will be stuck with huge loan obligations, while being over-qualified and under-paid in positions that only allow them to “just get by”.
This is a major reason why I believe that we must redirect the STEM emphasis in the high school curriculum away from the “college-degree pipeline” into a more flexible approach that uses additional dimensions of “Basic Workplace Skill Sets”, and “Applied Career Preparation Pathways”. These would slice up the core content information and knowledge needed for each of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subject areas into additional levels of complexity, and into a variety of workplace applications.
A ladder of “Basic Workplace Skill Sets” would clearly identify the methods, practices, and “habits of mind” needed for entry into several occupational levels. These six levels would be progressive in the complexity of the content topics, and in the mathematics preparation needed for each. The “Master/ Professional”, “Engineer”, and “Scientist” skill levels would require extensive post-secondary effort, of course.
But if the STEM course content were also identified at a “Technician” level, students would know that being competent at that level is a requirement, along with post-secondary training, for that kind of career. Likewise, developing skills at the “User/ Operator” level would have expectations for graduates entering the workforce right after graduation. Finally, the “Home & Consumer” level would match the core content standards for ALL students upon high school graduation.
By labeling or tagging each specific topic, lesson, or textbook page with an identifier of what the achievement expectation is for knowing that “nugget” of essential information, learners could set realistic occupational goals, and follow more efficient pathways in pursuit of their futures. They can become successes as they step up the achievement ladder, according to their efforts and interests, rather than being failures for not having exited out of the college pipeline into a waiting job.
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