How STEM Education Fuels Robotics Careers and Professional Success

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are vital to world development. Industries worldwide depend on the expertise and skills of individuals to solve the most challenging problems. Students should understand the benefits of STEM education and how it can shape their future opportunities.

Creating Innovative Robotics with STEM Education

Building robots is a popular dream for many kids. The mere idea of working on a functioning robot can encourage creativity and scientific thinking in children. NASA recognizes this and aims to prepare children for possible careers in scientific fields using robotics.

Robotics Education Specialist Adria Fung created a robotics curriculum in Hawaii to help children learn more about STEM and its real-world applications. Fung works with the Hawaii Space Grant Consortium — an organization NASA supports.

The curriculum prepares educators to use a collection of robots across all fields like math, English or social studies. Schools across the state can incorporate robotics into children’s lessons using a STEM-based approach to develop problem-solving and scientific thinking.

Educators can use STEM-based robotic applications to positively affect children’s decisions toward science. A fun learning environment can do more than make lessons exciting. It can also motivate kids to be passionate about robotics and other STEM-related fields. 

It’s an exciting time for anyone interested in robotics and other STEM-related fields. The global demand for robotics and automation engineers is rising. More support is also pouring in to accommodate the demands of the growing robotics industry.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the engineering industry employment will grow by 3% from 2019 to 2029, producing almost 75,000 new jobs. Part of this job growth includes the robotics industry.

Another exciting fact about the STEM field is it offers attractive compensation. The average income is $100,900 across STEM workers in 2022. Hard work and advanced technical skills pay off. The good thing is this is only one of the benefits of STEM education. Highly qualified professionals enjoy more perks as they move up the career ladder.

A STEM background can equip children with everything they need to achieve key positions in various industries. They can use their hard-earned skills to bring innovative solutions to high-demand fields like robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning. The best thing about it is they’ll be sufficiently rewarded for their efforts.

Preparing Students for Success in STEM

Stephanie Hill is the executive vice president of Rotary and Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin. In her 2017 TEDx Talk, she called herself an “accidental engineer.” Her discovery of COBOL programming through an elective opened her eyes to the benefits of STEM education.

She firmly believes that children should be exposed to STEM education. According to Hill, young people have so much to offer the world. They can be key leaders and develop innovations that solve the impossible. She later describes the value of gathering people from different STEM backgrounds to combine their superpowers to make scientific marvels.

One of the most notable parts of her speech was how her STEM background enabled her to help save lives. In 2008, the USS Lake Erie launched a missile that destroyed a rogue satellite containing 1,000 pounds of hazardous fuel. Hill was one of the programmers who worked on the code for the launcher. 

Hill’s STEM background helped her contribute to that critical mission. If she had chosen another elective, she would have missed her chance to find a STEM career. The uncontrolled satellite could have caused enormous environmental damage if that launch failed.

That’s just one example of how STEM education is used in real-life contexts. Exposing children to the values of STEM learning will help them find purpose and success in life. It can help children discover they possess the qualities to make the world a better place.

The Benefits of STEM Education

Focusing on STEM courses in school does more than just give children a well-rounded education. It helps them develop their understanding of themselves and their future. Here are some benefits STEM education offers students.

1. Shows Real-World Applications

Children who can vividly imagine uses for their lessons are more likely to understand the concepts and pay attention in class. STEM education can use traditional learning methods alongside demonstrations of real-world applications to keep students engaged. For example, when students understand how math can be used to solve daily problems, they will find it more meaningful and less challenging to learn.

2. Sparks Interest in Future Careers

Exciting STEM courses make learning fun for children and spark interest in pursuing STEM-related careers in the future. When kids discover they have what it takes to become successful in scientific fields, they’ll be more inspired to follow their dreams. They can become engineers, scientists, programmers, educators and the list goes on. The world will always need future leaders with STEM backgrounds.

3. Promotes Diversity

Everyone is welcome in STEM-related industries. Children enrolled in STEM courses become more tuned to what they like as they grow up and discover themselves. Diversity drives success and fosters collaboration in STEM fields. The more people banding together to solve complex problems, the better.

4. Opens Up Opportunities

When STEM students face difficulties in their studies, they develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These qualities prepare them better for college and professional careers. Arming kids with a growth mindset builds the confidence and resiliency to face the future.

5. Prioritizes Hands-On Learning

Different kids have different means of learning and STEM educators understand this phenomenon. Hands-on activities give children more ways to express themselves and acquire knowledge. Building robots, programming systems and experiments can engage students in many beneficial ways.

Preparing Children for the Future with STEM Education

Encouraging children at a young age can guide them to a fulfilling and exciting future in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Showing them how people with STEM backgrounds helped shape the world can inspire them to follow the same path. With more children engaged in STEM learning, the world can confidently face the future and its challenges.