STEM Careers are in the news...Why?
STEM careers are Engaging! Creative! Fun!
You will be using your BRAIN...
Solving the World's Biggest Problems
We need more workers in STEM fields and the jobs pay well
Many STEM occupations do not require a college degree
Women and minorities are under-represented in STEM occupations
AND, you can often work anywhere—from home or even traveling
What are STEM Occupations?
ANYTHING to do with computers
Robotics
Engineers
Nuclear Technicians
Inventors
Environmental Scientists
Geneticists
Biochemists
Health care
Designers – Interior, Architectural, Game, Web, Fashion
Marine Biologists
Food Scientists
Prosthetic Designers – (think Paralympics)
Geographers and Geologist
Chemists
And LOTS that we can't imagine!!!
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Skills
STEM skills are foundational, which means that once you know them, you can continue to build on and customize them. Even if you're not planning to become a scientist or engineer, basic scientific and investigative methods apply to a wide variety of career fields. Which STEM skills can be applied to your chosen career?
Think about key skills needed in today's workplace: problem solving, analytical thinking, and the ability to work independently. What do they all have in common? They're all related to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). AND–they are the skills needed to solve the world's biggest problems–today and tomorrow!
STEM on the Job
Most employers want workers who are able to reason and solve problems using some math, science, or technology knowledge. Key STEM skills include:
Analytical skills to research a topic, develop a project plan and timeline, and draw conclusions from research results.
Science skills to break down a complex scientific system into smaller parts, recognize cause and effect relationships, and defend opinions using facts.
Mathematic skills for calculations and measurements.
Attention to detail to follow a standard blueprint, record data accurately, or write instructions.
Technical skills to troubleshot the source of a problem, repair a machine or debug and operating system, and computer capabilities to stay current on appropriate software and equipment.
Think STEM is just for geeks? Not true! Many workers in STEM fields use “soft” skills at work as much as they use math and science. These soft skills include:
Communication and cooperation skills to listen to customer needs or interact with project partners.
Creative abilities to solve problems and develop new ideas.
Leadership skills to lead projects or help customers.
Organization skills to keep track of lots of different information.
Occupational Profile: Climate Change Analyst – Green Job with a Bright Outlook
How is climate change affecting Earth? Would you like to make a difference by using your knowledge to protect our quality of life as well face a changing environment? Climate change analysts evaluate climate data and research to determine how shifts in the climate will affect natural resources, animals and civilizations. They use this information to make suggestions about what individuals and governments can do to ensure a higher-quality life for everyone in the face of a changing environment.
Key Requirements: Interest in social and environmental impacts of climate change, ability to organize and sift through large amounts of data, good deductive logic, excellent communication skills.
Education: Bachelor's degree
High School Subjects: Physics, algebra, geometry, calculus, English; if available: environmental science, computer science, statistics, political science.
Median Salary: $46,500 (Vermont)
Projected Job Growth: Faster than Average
For more information visit our Labor Market Information website at www.vtLmi.info and click on the Occupations tab.
Occupational Profile: Web Designer – Growing Faster than Average
How many websites do you visit each day? Do you like some better than others? Most of our days are spent on the computer doing one thing or another, and each page that you visit needs a designer, maintenance, and editing. Web designers work with management and creative teams to come up with content and incorporate digital media. Overall, the goal is to create pages with a specific design, uniform graphic set and eye grabbing details. Web designers are part artist, part writer and part computer expert.
Key Requirements: Creative, self motivated, well organized, with good communication skills, thorough knowledge of computer and electronics, programming skills and problem solving skills.
Education: Vocational training, on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree
Median Salary: $76,190 (Vermont)
Projected Job Growth: Faster than Average
For more information visit our Labor Market Information website at www.vtLmi.info and click on the Occupations tab.
