Exposing students to engineers, programmers and scientists can inspire them to become one.
U.S. employers are headed for a crossroad. By 2022, our economy will require more than nine million science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals; currently, we're producing fewer than 300,000 college graduates to fill these jobs.
We can ensure students graduate from high school and college ready to enter the modern workforce.
At this year's White House Science Fair, President Obama announced over $240 million in new private-sector commitments to foster interest in STEM fields--particularly among students from underserved communities. But are students interested in pursuing these careers and qualified for them? If we reach children before there's a gap between the skills they possess and the skills needed to get hired, we could change the landscape. It is imperative to begin when young people are in their formative learning years.
Educators have found--¬¬and medical science supports--that children are capable of developing new skills when they are young, especially during the middle ¬school years. It's the critical time to introduce students to coding, engineering, and other high¬-demand industries in the evolving American economy. Seizing the opportunity to expose students to these exciting careers at that stage in their lives would allow them to develop a passion that turns into a career. Our students would be better prepared for college and careers in STEM -related fields.
"When we give students the inspiration not just that math and science are inherently interesting, and technology and engineering are inherently interesting, but there's actual problems to solve, it turns out that young people, they rise to the challenge. And that's what's so exciting about it."
-- President Barack Obama, March 2015
However, government can't do this alone. It requires partnerships with the private sector. One major barrier facing students from low-¬income communities is exposure; if a young person isn't exposed to engineers, programmers or scientists, how can she aspire to become one?
According to the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, "nearly two ¬thirds of teens indicated that they may be discouraged from pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics because they do not know anyone who works in these fields."
That's why the pipeline needs to go both ways, and partnerships are critical. To entice students to become tech professionals, tech professionals need to go to the students. Professional engineers and scientists in the classroom inspire students to get excited about math and science.
"To see a kid who is disengaged and then does get engaged, I think is one of the greatest rewards of being a mentor."
-- Marty Stanton, Volunteer, Cisco Systems
Role models can show students exciting career paths and bring conventional math and science courses to life. Hands¬-on experiences with professionals teach skills that students can't learn anywhere else, and corporate representatives can have a real influence on the next generation by starting the recruiting process early.
At Citizen Schools, we know that this is possible and that it works. We partner with middle schools in low-income communities to add three extra hours to the school day by bringing in a "second shift" of educators, which includes AmeriCorps service members as well as volunteers from such forward-looking tech companies as Cisco, Cognizant, Facebook, and Google. These engineers-turned-educators teach the students hands-on, career-related material that ranges from building a solar-powered car to programming a video game.
Meeting their future selves helps to close the inspiration gap for many of our students. Citizen Schools students are two and a half times more likely to express interest in STEM careers than students nationally.
"Science is one of my favorite subjects. Science teaches you about everything. We learned about liquid nitrogen, that's why we used gloves. At the end of the semester we went to Rockefeller University and all the scientists met us there."
-- I.D., 8th Grade Student, Global Technology Preparatory, Harlem, New York
Those who have achieved success in STEM fields have a tremendous opportunity to help students believe it's achievable for them as well--at a time when they are still forming their dreams and aspirations and their minds are open and adaptable to learning new techniques. With companies, schools and nonprofits working hand in hand, we can expose students to technology fields, and middle school is the ripe moment.
An early investment in workforce development is a surefire way to fill the pipeline with well¬-prepared and diverse future employees.
Kathrine Mott is executive director of Citizen Schools New York-New Jersey. Citizen Schools is a partner of Cisco CSR. Cisco sponsors The Huffington Post's ImpactX section.