The future is uncertain and we must find ways to establish ourselves. Examining progress shows us that everything, from business to academics, is heavily focused on technology and software. No matter our field of interest, it will benefit greatly from having an understanding of the more scientific branches of thought.
Students should begin considering courses they can take and skills they can develop when they enter higher education. It’s probably these which will benefit the most in the long run.
Why STEM matters
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each one of these is invaluable to the world and to various industries. Within each, we can uncover various skills.
“Healthcare, community services and arts, and STEM are the three fastest growing occupational clusters. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary education and training, up from 28 percent in 1973.”
STEM careers will have higher salaries and job security, due to the necessity of the skills required. These disciplines are not central to what leads to progress as a society and making the world better, but are also constantly evolving – meaning they are always interesting.
Courses to consider
When examining our degree, it might help to search for classes and courses that can help start or maintain STEM skills. For example, almost anyone can benefit from computer courses. Everything uses computers these days and, no matter what field we go into, knowing how computers work can only improve our performance in that career path.
If we want to keep things more creative, but still maintain a focus on STEM skills, why not consider media?
“Usually, these kinds of courses teach you how to create computer-generated media using tools in the Adobe Creative Cloud, like Photoshop and InDesign. They also cover topics like typography, color theory, illustration, layout, and other fundamental principles of digital design/media.”
This blends creative and the more technical skills we can gain from STEM.
Similarly, learning how to create websites and program pages might be useful in a number of ways. Creating and maintaining an online presence is how we exist in today’s world, after all.
STEM can be made to fit with all our career options and will become essential for our future.