You may be curious about STEM education or have heard about it but aren’t really sure what it’s about. STEM is an acronym and is based on the idea of educating students on four disciplines - science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. By integrating these disciplines, students are able to apply them in tangible applications. By next year, it’s estimated there will be a need for 8.65 million highly-trained workers needed in STEM-related jobs, a sector which is suffering an extreme shortage.

You don’t need a degree

Most of us automatically assume that for any job, you need either specific certifications or a post-secondary degree. However, STEM jobs do not need higher education certification. Though, with that being said, having a degree doesn’t hurt as it’ll open the number of positions available to you. If you prefer to obtain a degree, you can apply for scholarships in Australia to help with the tuition costs.

STEM involves every part of life

Whether you know or not, STEM actually is visible in every aspect of life. People with creative and innovative minds are developing technology which ends up being used by everyone around the world. From transportation to biomedical advancements to the production of food, STEM is being implemented in every industry and improving the quality of life.

STEM needs more women

Sadly, women are greater underrepresented in STEM fields and these numbers have continued to decrease over the past two decades. The Center for Women & Information Technology states that women made up only 18% of college graduates - and that was in 2012. In 1985, it was 37%. The idea that it’s a male-dominant industry is alive and well even though women have the potential to become successful in this industry.  Now is the best time to break stereotypes and enter the industry. Not to mention, there will be great scholarship opportunities for minority groups including women to apply for.

You don’t have to study in the USA

Though you may have heard that for STEM education the place to be is the United States, that isn’t the case anymore. Traditionally speaking, the United States was seen as a hub for STEM education and employment, however, nowadays, it has been falling behind due to the state’s inability to train and educate STEM students. Once ranked the among the best, the United States has been ranked 48th when it comes to quality of math and science education by the distinguished World Economic Forum.

Where can you study STEM?

Of course, the United States is still an influencer in STEM education, however, other nations are excelling in the field. Countries such as Russia are developing “innovation cities,” when focus solely on STEM research. China, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Singapore, and Australia are some of the other countries who are investing heavily into the industry, creating environments deemed international science hubs.