Education is no longer just about getting a job; it’s about developing skills that will help your child succeed in life. The days when an employee could show up to work and get by on talent alone are over, and companies need employees who can think critically and solve problems independently. That’s one of the reasons why parents should worry if their children aren’t taking STEM classes. There are many more reasons as listed below.
STEM Education Is Becoming Increasingly Important
STEM education is becoming increasingly important, and it’s a good idea for parents to be aware of this. Non-STEM occupations are growing at a slower rate than STEM professions. According to the Pew Research Center, STEM employment has risen by 79% in the last two decades. It is projected to accelerate even further. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), STEM jobs are expected to rise 10.5% between now and 2030, which is greater than the 7.5% growth of non-STEM professions and 7.7 percent overall career growth over that same period.
The good thing is that most parents are already aware of this. Based on a survey of 2000 parents conducted by the Toy Association, a whopping 91% of them believe that STEM education is advantageous for children. Moreover, 88% of parents are either already encouraging or planning to encourage their children to develop an interest in STEM education.
STEM Develops Critical Skills
STEM education helps develop critical and in-demand skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. Several studies in journals like ResearchGate and even some funded by the U.S. Department of Education have concluded that STEM education can significantly improve students’ critical skills for the 21st century.
STEM education helps develop critical thinking skills by allowing students to apply their knowledge, improving their thinking quality.
Students who study STEM understand how to apply the information they learn, which means they can think more critically. They learn to make logical leaps and draw conclusions based on evidence they observe or gather.
Moreover, all STEM subjects are about solving problems that help instill problem-solving skills in students. Even in something as simple as math, you must figure out the problem and determine your answer. You start with an equation and work through it until you get the correct answer.
This is also true of science and technology. You start with something that needs fixing or improving and then work on how you might best fix or improve it.
Better Financial Stability
You might be wondering why STEM education is so important. The answer is simple: STEM jobs are in high demand and pay well. According to the data published on the BLS website, even the lowest income of STEM jobs is around $50,000 annually. However, when it comes to the highest paying jobs like computer and information systems managers and architectural and engineering managers, the average payment is over $150,000.
The average salary highlights the lucrative wages that STEM occupations offer. However, it’s not only limited to the payment; it’s more about the skills. The much-needed 21st-century skills that students learn through STEM enable them to think from different perspectives and come up with something of their own. Thus, they can become an entrepreneur and create innovative products. This shows that while the average salary is high, the potential of achieving financial stability through STEM education is even higher.
What Can Parents Do To Encourage STEM Education
Parent involvement in child education is vital regardless of the subject. But when it comes to STEM education, parents’ involvement can speed up gaining critical thinking skills. According to a study published by the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, parents’ involvement in STEM education can help instill quantitative and problem-solving skills.
The following are some tips on how parents can help their children engage in STEM education:
- Encourage children to ask questions. The best way to learn is by asking questions; there’s no better time than when your children are young.
- Help children do their homework. Most children start diverting from STEM education because they cannot complete the assignment, making them feel the subjects are boring. You can participate in the homework and help them when they get stuck while making the learning process a little exciting. However, some parents themselves don’t have a STEM education. In that case, you can seek online help. There are many online platforms and resources available, like Proprep’s STEM learning programs, that teach complex concepts in small video tutorials that are easy to understand and engaging.
- Encourage children to try new things. Being open-minded about trying something new will help your child explore the world around them more freely and discover new interests that may have otherwise gone untapped.
- Take them along while doing science experiments at home using simple household items found around us everywhere all over town, countrywide–even globally if necessary but only if wanted first since safety concerns are always paramount above all else when dealing with kids these days, no matter how much fun might come along with experimenting together like this too.
What Motivates Parents to Engage Their Children With STEM Education?
While better job opportunities and financial stability are the key motivators for parents in engaging their children with STEM education, there are many more. The U.S. Department of Education surveyed some parents to find out these motivators. According to the survey findings, parents selected the below as the primary motivators for engaging their children with STEM education.
- Applications in daily life – 93.1%
- Interesting ways to learn about the natural world – 89.7%
- STEM is fun – 89.7%
- The core of all technological innovations – 82.8%
Conclusion
If you want to give your child the best possible opportunities in life, it’s important to ensure that they receive a quality STEM education. Students who receive more STEM education are more likely to be employed in the future and have access to better jobs with higher salaries. It’s up to parents to help their children get the best STEM education possible so they can be prepared for whatever career path they choose.