Jobs of the Future Require STEM Education

Supporters of STEM education (STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) feel a sense of urgency as evidence of a “skills gap” continues to grow.

Here’s a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed:

“If you grew up and went to school in the United States, you were educated in a system that has eight times as many high-school football teams as high schools that teach advanced placement computer-science classes. Things are hardly better in the universities. According to one recent report, in the next decade American colleges will mint 40,000 graduates with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, though the U.S. economy is slated to create 120,000 computing jobs that require such degrees. You don’t have to be a math major to do the math: That’s three times as many jobs as we have people qualified to fill them.”

OrthoWorx is partnering with the Warsaw Community Schools Corporation to expand and enhance the planned second year of operation at the Washington Elementary STEM Academy.  This is part of the OrthoWorx Education & Workforce Development Initiative. Washington STEM Academy, which was launched in 2012 with a State of Indiana Innovation Grant, will focus on topics and subjects related to orthopedics and the life sciences in the 2013-2014 school year. OrthoWorx will provide $112,000 in funding to support the STEM Coach position, additional teacher professional development, and equipment and supplies acquisition.

OrthoWorx believes an increased focus on STEM education is critical for the Kosciusko County orthopedic industry cluster, as well as for other important industries, such as agriculture.  According to Sheryl Conley, OrthoWorx Chief Executive Officer, “The talent being recruited to our area needs to be convinced that our local educational systems are committed to providing STEM as part of a comprehensive offering.”

“The Washington STEM Academy is an important first step in building out our region’s capability in this area, and its first year shows how much parents value STEM and innovative learning models. One STEM elementary school in our region is not sufficient, though. Our goal is to work with educators to see greater STEM focus in all grades and in all schools.”

OrthoWorx is also participating in a statewide initiative to define STEM education standards that could be adopted by the State of Indiana.  Currently, there are no guidelines on what constitutes a STEM program or a STEM school.

With more that 60,000 Indiana jobs directly and indirectly related to the life sciences industry in Indiana, a focus on STEM education is important for future economic growth.  With more than 7,000 of those jobs connected to the orthopedic industry cluster in Kosciusko County, the importance is even more obvious for our region.