STEM careers are in demand but too often, young people lack knowledge about their options. Hands-on experiences and role models can help.
Youth can’t aspire to careers they don’t understand
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations are projected to keep growing, and on average, they pay more than non-STEM careers.
But when youth explore their career options, they may overlook well-paid, in-demand STEM jobs simply because they don’t know much about them. Less than 30% of high-school-aged respondents in a recent Gallup survey reported feeling “very prepared” for their post-secondary options and over one-third felt “a little” or “not at all prepared”. The same survey also showed that if students knew more about a pathway, they were up to three times more likely to pursue it.
An Ontario study of university-bound grade 9 and 10 students showed a knowledge gap, particularly in STEM careers; out of seven different occupations, participating teens ranked their knowledge of engineers the lowest, scientists the second lowest.
To inspire more youth to pursue STEM careers, we need to help them better understand their options.
This STEM Club lets youth “try on” a career for an afternoon
The Canadian Association for Girls In Science (CAGIS) is Canada’s largest and longest-running science, technology, trades, engineering, and mathematics (STTEM) club for girls and gender-diverse youth aged 7-17. This award-winning club, founded in 1992, supports interest in STTEM with online programming and in-person local clubs that visit labs, workshops, and field sites to meet mentors and do fun, hands-on activities.
“You can’t choose if you don’t know. And CAGIS, to me, is really instrumental in making sure that you’re aware of what might be open to you as you get older.”
By visiting actual workplace locations, trying tools and equipment, and meeting STTEM role models, members get a deeper understanding of the range of STTEM careers. There is an emphasis on keeping the atmosphere fun and welcoming, so participants enjoy their time and feel they belong.
Surveys and alumni stories show how powerful this approach is
Surveys show that participating made over 94% of participants consider a career in STTEM. In follow-up surveys (2017, 2022), 94% of graduates were studying or working in STTEM fields. In open-ended responses, most attributed their career trajectories to CAGIS; many even discovered their careers at events!
“One event that changed my perspective was the 2022 Mission Zero challenge… This was the first time I remember writing a line of code. I found myself enjoying it so much, I continued to experiment on my own with the program after the event.”
— Kate, Alumna, studying Computer Science at Dalhousie.
Hands-on exposure to the breadth of STTEM fields can help a young person see themselves in a career they previously never considered. Opening that door for one person is powerful; opening it for thousands can change the future of STTEM in Canada.
Visit GirlsInScience.ca to learn more.
Sources
Statistics Canada, The Gender Wage Gap in Canada: 1998 to 2018 (2019).
Statistics Canada, Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population (2021).
Compeau & Strong, Grade 9/10 Students’ Perceived Knowledge of Engineers and the Engineering Profession (Canadian Engineering Education Association, 2015).
Gallup & Walton Family Foundation, Most Gen Z High Schoolers Feel Unprepared for Life After Graduation (Sept 12, 2023).
