Category: STEM

STEM Jobs of the Future: Technology

Posted on by acte

The job market evolves constantly. Fueled by the rapid growth of technology, industry demands critical 21st century skills. Today’s students must be prepared for jobs which do not yet exist. It is estimated that 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet (Institute for the Future, 2017). “New categories of jobs will emerge, partly or wholly displacing others” (World Economic Forum, 2018).

Tomorrow’s workforce must be adept critical thinkers. They must problem solve and innovate lest they be replaced by robots. There is a pressing need for educators to provide diverse experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) — connecting passions to careers.

Technology offers a wide range host of new career fields that may seem of science fiction, but no… They are, in fact, on the brink of reality:

AR Developer

Have you ever used Snapchat? Then you’re already familiar with augmented reality (AR). In short, AR can transform the world around you, “adding imaginary elements into the real world for you to interact with” (Career In STEM, 2020).

Augmented reality is sweeping industries including education, manufacturing, retail, sports and medical fields. Try on the latest fashions from the comfort of home or bring textbooks to life; AR developers create experiences to reconceptualize activities that have been limited by proximity until now.

As staying home becomes the new normal, augmented reality will remain in high demand. AR developers need a bachelor’s degree in software development or a related field. They can expect to earn over $106,000 annually.

Workplace Productivity Manager

The world is digital and increasingly distracting. Where loss of productivity is directly correlated with loss of revenue, companies need employees focused on critical tasks.

The responsibilities of a workplace productivity manager could include:

  • Researching and implementing ways to reduce unnecessary screen time
  • Devising virtual experiences to keep employees motivated and connected

Workplace productivity managers should have postsecondary credentials in human resources or a related field. They can expect to earn over $117,000 annually.

Drone Traffic Controller

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports there are approximately 40,000 plane flights, on an average day, in the United States alone. To service that volume, there are more than 14,000 air traffic controllers recognized by the FAA.

Now imagine this:

How many air traffic controllers would be needed to manage drones that carry the almost 7 million Amazon packages a day across the U.S.?

That’s a lot of jobs!

To manage drone traffic will be a huge undertaking. With the rapid development of these technologies, thousands of drone-related jobs will soon be available. Develop technology and strategies to manage drone swarms. Check the registration of vehicles in flight. And work with maps and data to monitor drone traffic. Drone professionals will need technology, data analysis, logistics and multitasking skills.

Drone pilots are also in high demand, often earning over $87,000. With a high school diploma, a love of the outdoors, and hands-on training, anyone can explore careers in drone technology. Could you pass the test?

Nanobot Programmer

Robots can make drinks at a cafe. They can manufacture products in an industrial setting. But what if these robots were so small that you couldn’t see them? A nanobot is a relatively new type of robot the size of a nanometer; that is 10 million times smaller than a centimeter!

Nanobots could be deployed inside the human body — to deliver targeted medicines, attack cancerous cells or collect internal data on a specific problem. The application possibilities are endless. Related career pathways may include medicine and healthcare, as well as pollution monitoring and cleanup.

The need for people with expertise in nanobot technology is growing rapidly. The field lies at a unique intersection between robotics, computer science and helping others.

Nanobot programmers will likely need a bachelor’s degree in a computer science field, with a minor connected to fields of interest (e.g., biomedical engineering, environmental science). Nanobot programmers can expect to earn over $87,000 annually.

These careers represent only a few of the rapidly evolving fields within STEM. Come back soon, to PAGES, a Techniques blog, for our next feature on STEM jobs of the future: engineering!

Jacqui Schlesinger is passionate about STEM education and career development. As a rising high school junior in the Boston area, she is involved with several organizations including Career In STEM, The Math Club of Lexington, her school’s STEM Education Club, and the Masshire MNWB Youth Committee. She also enjoys playing tennis, writing and exploring nature.

Ashley Pereira is a former middle and high school science teacher, and owner of Career In STEM. She creates engaging STEM career exploration resources to prepare middle school students to succeed in future STEM careers.

The Spaces You’ll Go: An Interview with Author Rachael Mann

Posted on by acte

It was a stellar experience for attendees at ACTE’s CareerTech VISION 2019. The event kicked off with an opening general session address from former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, and we launched Rachael Mann’s new book, The Spaces You’ll Go, which takes children and parents on a lighthearted romp through out-of-this-world careers for little big dreamers.

To prepare for VISION and her book launch, Rachael Mann sat down with PAGES, a Techniques blog, for an interview about The Spaces You’ll Go and the importance of dreaming big.

Who are the characters in The Spaces You’ll Go?

Cas — short for the constellation Cassiopeia — is the main character, along with her sidekick Kanga Blue. Kanga Blue is a stuffed toy by day and a life-sized robot Kangaroo during her dream phase. Together, they dream of the exciting things they may someday do related to space exploration.

What do you hope that children will get out of this book?

My hope is that children and adults alike will be inspired to dream bigger, aim higher, and believe that they can do whatever they dare to dream.

Why is your book important?

The Spaces You’ll Go is meant to empower young people to believe that they can do and be anything. Dreams always come before reality and when you encourage little dreamers to look beyond the planet we call home, you expand their horizons. They begin to see opportunities and occupations that do not exist yet. Our world needs dreamers, explorers and innovators, people who ask, “How can we?”

That is why it is important to give kids the freedom to discover what they love, what they are curious about, what they do well and what the world needs. At the intersection of these points lies their destiny.

For what kind of future are we preparing the next generation? How can we?

We are not only preparing kids for careers that do not exist; we are preparing them for lives that could quite literally be out of this world! That being said, the intent of this book is to let kids be kids… to spark wonder…. to inspire young people to imagine and visualize where and what their future will be.

What was your favorite book as a child?

The Little Engine That Could. This book sits on my nightstand still today! As a child, I had a condition called in-toeing and femoral anteversion, and I wore leg braces. As a result, I was typically the last child picked for teams in gym class. I found the story to be relatable and empowering.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating The Spaces You’ll Go?

I have wanted to write a children’s book for a long time and was surprised by the unique challenges of writing The Spaces You’ll Go. The total word count for a children’s book is less than that of one page in my first book, The Martians in Your Classroom. Initially, this seemed as if it would make for a much easier book to write, but, I discovered, the smaller the word count, the more each word counts!

In addition, the task of explaining complicated ideas in simple — and fewer — words is not easy, I also discovered that the audience for a children’s book isn’t necessarily children. The audience is the parents, grandparents, librarians, teachers and others first, and then the children.

I have had many people tell me that they have always wanted to write a children’s book. My advice after writing The Spaces You’ll Go is this: Do it! Put your words on paper and see where they lead. Enjoy the journey, and allow yourself to remember what it means to be a child and to dream and wonder. The process itself is as rewarding as the outcome.

Draw on the power and pull of space to get your kids interested in STEM at a young age. I hope this book serves as a launchpad to inspire wonder about the universe we live in, one we are only just beginning to understand.

Purchase a copy of The Spaces You’ll Go for the little big dreamers you know, available now in ShopACTE online.

For bonus resources, please visit rachaelmann.co; follow the author on social media @RachaelEdu. Join the conversation using hashtags #ReadytoLaunch and #SpacesYoullGo.

Rachael Mann is an author, educator and keynote speaker who is passionate about preparing today’s youth for the future. She speaks regularly on the topics related to STEM, career and technical education, space, education, and disruptive innovation.

Career Aspirations Out of this World: Rachael Mann Interviews Aaron Shepard

Posted on by acte

Aaron Shepard inspires others and models boldness; he is determined to break the status quo. Too often, we are encouraged to take the safe path and spend a lifetime wondering, “What if?” Aaron took that road, at first, but soon he realized there is never a better time to follow your dreams than now.

Tell me about your current role as a student and NASA intern.

I study electrical engineering at Clemson University. Right now, I’m working on my master’s degree in robotics and intelligent systems, designing flexible robots that can grab satellites in outer space. In summer 2018 I interned at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia. As part of a joint project with Uber, our team built virtual reality simulators for a flying taxi service that Uber plans to offer in the 2030s. I worked primarily as a project manager, but I also helped wire and program the simulator. In addition, our team got to see a lot of the facilities and equipment that helped humans reach the moon during the space race.

How old were you when you realized you were interested in space?

I’ve been into space for as long as I can remember. When I was little, my grandma and I would watch hours of “Star Trek” together. The first time I watched a shuttle launch was during fourth-grade science class. The moment I saw the rocket boosters roar to life I knew that I wanted to be an astronaut or, at the very least, work in the space industry.

It was during my freshman year of high school that NASA announced they were canceling the shuttle program. Like many people, I thought this meant the end of space exploration. I tried to “grow up” and find a “realistic” career. I went to college, graduated with a chemistry degree, worked in pharmaceuticals. I even got into medical school. No matter what I did, space was always on my mind. At 25 years old I decided to leave medicine for engineering and take one last shot at fulfilling my childhood dream.

How did you learn about the NASA internship?

In my first year at Clemson, I applied for a research fellowship from NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program; Space Grant provides funding assistance and scholarships for students pursuing STEM careers. Aaron Shepard is pursuing a graduate degree in engineering at Clemson University. He hopes to pursue a career as a civil servant with NASA.I got the fellowship and spent that summer working in a lab at school on my satellite capture robot. The next year, I applied for multiple internships at NASA and was contacted (and selected!) by the coordinator for the Aeronautics Academy at Langley.

What has been your most meaningful accomplishment to date?

Just to get my foot in the door at NASA is a big accomplishment for me. I knew that I was taking a huge risk when I changed careers. Making that decision wasn’t easy at all. There were plenty of times I didn’t feel 100 percent confident about my choice, but I still got up every day and did what I needed to do at school and work. I never gave up on my dreams, and now they are starting to become my reality.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Begin every day with a task completed. Whether it’s making my bed or finishing responses for a written interview, my days feel more productive when I start by accomplishing something small.

What advice do you have for students enrolled in career and technical education classes?

Don’t procrastinate! Success in education comes down to deadlines and learning time management. If you have a week to do an assignment, do small sections of it each day instead of everything the night before. Working this way is more efficient, and it helps you retain what you’ve learned.

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?

My dad wanted to be an aerospace engineer but he never pursued his dream because he didn’t think he was smart enough. He regretted not following his passion, and his story is what inspired me to follow mine.

What advice do you have for educators trying to inspire students to pursue STEM-related careers?

The media tends to typecast “STEM people” as smart and socially awkward white males, like Sheldon from “The Big Bang Theory.” It’s hard for individuals who don’t identify with those traits to see themselves in STEM careers. If teachers want to inspire more students to pursue science and engineering, I think it’s crucial that they share more stories in the classroom about the diverse people that make up the STEM fields.

Thank you for inspiring us, Aaron! To learn more about Aaron and his space journey, follow him on social media @spacecadetshep, email him or check out his TEDx Talk.

Seize the opportunity to take your own career out of this world!

ACTE and NASA HUNCH have teamed up to present the CTE Month 2019 and NASA HUNCH video challenge. This year’s theme, “Working Out of This World,” encourages students to produce short videos featuring careers, products or services that could be used in future space missions. The deadline to submit is Feb. 1.

Most Things Worth Having Requires Hard Work

Posted on by acte

Eboni Chillis Nov Photo214
Just one in seven engineers are female, only 27% of all computer science jobs are held by women, and women have seen no employment growth in STEM jobs since 2000.>#0160;>#0160;
~ Forbes Magazine, 2014

Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (STEM) like most things worth having, is hard work. As an educator, it can be hard to get students to consider or pursue courses where their gender is significantly outnumbered. Here are a few ways to succeed in making those courses appeal to those nontraditional students:

  1. There is a term in the K-2 education called early literacy. Establish a campaign that begins in K-2 called early STEM innovators. Once the campaign shows growth, present the data findings to your department of education for a statewide initiative to produce STEM thinkers early.
  2. Establish a mentorship program with successful women in STEM. This mentorship reaches far beyond guest speakers and field trips. The mentor truly immerses herself in the educational success of the student(s).
  3. Create learning environments where students are able to solve problems that face your town, city, state or our country. Each project should be aligned to the varied STEM careers with a fluent understanding of the interdisciplinary connections. Present the findings (student presentations) to women in STEM, corporations and community.
  4. Be open and honest about this one thing, “self-motivation, determination, and self-discipline are required to win”. Winners are deemed #1 and it does not come easy. In order to win in any career or personal endeavor you must remain focused, as the aforementioned are simply the vessels to assist along that journey.

We have an intentional and purposeful commitment towards attracting and retaining girls in STEM. STEM is a destination reach for girls/women to innovate, predict and solve the problems that shape our world today, tomorrow and beyond. The global workforce is waiting on them, which is a CTE MATTER!

Eboni Camille Chillis, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Career, Technical >amp; Agricultural Education
Clayton County Public Schools

Supporting Girls in STEM Careers!

Posted on by acte

Technology (STEM) are all around us. If you are reading this blog…that’s STEM, the clothes you wear, the car you drive, the food we eat, the life we what is all contingent upon a set of thinking. STEM is the ability to develop a set of thinking, reasoning, inferences, and predictions that is embraced with creativity at work and in our every day lives. And of course, there is the mental tenacity necessary to navigate through mathematics and science; which is a prerequisite for sustaining the competitiveness of our ever-changing technology world. What factor yields the most influence in inhibiting or bringing more women into nontraditional fields like STEM? My humble opinion is that there is a conscious/unconscious bias that has developed in educational, business and industry practices minimizing the opportunity for girls to see themselves ready and able to use their mental rigor and intellectual thinking required for STEM courses and careers.

Fact: Supporting women STEM students and researchers is not only an essential part of America’s strategy to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world; it is also important to women themselves. Women in STEM jobs earn 33 percent more than those in non-STEM occupations and experience a smaller wage gap relative to men. And STEM careers offer women the opportunity to engage in some of the most exciting realms of discovery and technological innovation. Increasing opportunities for women in these fields is an important step towards realizing greater economic success and equality for women across the board.  ~ Office of Science and Technology Policy

Solution: If STEM is all around us, then girls and women are too!

  1. Increase STEM exposure = imagery. A field trip just isn’t enough! Billboards, business/industry mentors, film/television programming, conferences, festivals, competitive events, and educators where WOMEN are front and center.
  2. Although the acronym STEM stands for Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology show girls the unimaginable range of careers available immersed with #1.
  3. Move form a fixed mindset to a growth mindset in STEM, that’s all of us who impact education, industry, branding and marketing – immersed with #1 and #2.

We have an intentional and purposeful commitment towards attracting and retaining girls in STEM. Economic projections indicate that by 2018, there could be 2.4 million unfilled STEM jobs. STEM is a destination reach for girls/women to innovate, predict and solve the problems that shape our world today, tomorrow and beyond. The global workforce is waiting on them, which is a CTE MATTER!

Eboni Camille Chillis, Ph.D. 
Coordinator of Career, Technical >amp; Agricultural Education
Clayton County Public Schools

>nbsp;