STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
education signifies the curriculum based on these four disciplines. In the
global education landscape, STEM-based learning is steadily gaining prevalence. Even
in India, many schools have started considering this academic discipline while
formulating curriculum of their K-12 segment, the reasons being developing
students’ interest in technology-based learning and encouraging them to pursue it in
higher education.
STEM education goes a
long way in successfully integrating book-based knowledge with its real-life
applications. Therefore, students get a better understanding of a subject,
topic, or a concept and comprehend its real-life applications, which is quite
impossible in traditional book-based rote learning.
Now, the obvious question
is the career prospect in this field. As revealed by a Physics teacher in a
Delhi-based school, since STEM field is on an expansion spree, job opportunity
in this field is enormous. Nevertheless, STEM skill-equipped students need not
be only scientists. Although research is a good career option for these
students, they can also seek employment in many technical and semi-technical
fields. There are even many career prospects for them in government sectors as
well.
In our country, several initiatives are being taken at the both
government and private levels to promote STEM education in schools. Many companies are coming up with innovative
solutions to integrate STEM learning into all aspects of the teaching and
learning process. It is ultimately enabling teachers to impart necessary life
skills—such as problem solving, logical thinking, analyzing, etc.—into students
so that they can be better equipped to face today’s competitive professional
world. Women earned 49 percent of allscience
and engineering bachelor’s degrees, 43 percent of science and engineering
master’s degrees and 40 percent of science and engineering doctoral
degrees in 2014, reports the National Student Clearinghouse. Yet women make up
less than 25 percent of the STEM workforce and only 10.5 percent of employed
engineers. Researchers have found that workplace culture and women’s personal
character traits play major roles in retention. So what are the things that
make a difference?
Women prefer workplaces that are collaborative rather than
hierarchical, explains Heather Metcalf, director of research and
analysis at the Association for Women in Science. And they are more apt to stay
in work environments that allow for creativity and flexibility, she says.
Conversely, women are fleeing companies that encourage employees
to practically live at work, she says. While 71 percent of women with young
children work outside the home, according to the Pew Research Center, women
still shoulder more responsibility for child care and elder care than men. So
living at the office to show they are committed to their jobs is not an option.
“Creating workplaces that have a lot of flexibility, that allow
for people to work in a way that fits best with them, boosts creativity and job
satisfaction,” Metcalf says, and these are the settings where women stay and
thrive.
Working in a cooperative setting, she says, creates a greater
sense of belonging and connectedness, which all adds up to more innovation—and
more patents. Studies show, she says, that for STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) firms, women-owned, women-led businesses perform better
economically than similar men-owned companies.
Natalie Babij, a technical-support specialist
with Renewable NRG Systems in Hinesburg, Vt., says she loves
working in a team-based culture. Her primary job is to help customers with
problem solving and troubleshooting, but when she’s not doing that, she works
with her colleagues to improve existing processes.
Babij appreciates the fact that she doesn’t have a rigid job
description. Her coworkers know about her background as a data analyst and are
happy to make use of her knowledge. Software engineer colleagues ask her to
contribute to the design and planning process of creating new software
features. “It makes me feel important and useful, and it’s nice that I can use
those skills,” Babij says.
Research shows that women like Babij are likely to stay in their
fields because engagement at work is “a very high predictor of career
commitment,” saysDiana Bilimoria, a Case Western Reserve
University professor who has researched women in STEM extensively.
No matter what type of organization women work for, large or
small, public or private, their relationships with their immediate bosses are
critical to whether they feel engaged and content. The ideal supervisor is
committed to his or her subordinates’ advancement and development, assigns
stretch projects, and provides necessary support and feedback to help them be
successful, Bilimoria says. And workplaces that employ women in higher levels
are more apt to retain women at the lower levels. So if you are looking for STEM education training institutes visit http://www.allindiayellowpage.com for detail information.