2015 Issue

51 T HERE ARE A growing number of articles published each day emphasizing the fact that there are not enough students graduating with a STEM (science, technology, engineer- ing and math) background to fill the open positions in the marketplace. There is growing national, as well as regional, support for STEM. From President Barack Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign for excellence in STEM, to industry members all over the country dedicating billions of dollars in time and resources each year to grow the talent pipeline, it’s apparent that STEM is a hot topic and for good reason. Projections suggest that STEM-related job opportunities will grow nearly 17 percent over the next decade; more than 60 percent of those jobs will require a college degree or higher. Fewer than 50 percent of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEMdegree; themajority switch to non-STEM majors during their first two years of study Utah’s teachers, government and industry have all made great strides in the past few years to increase STEM engagement. STEM EDUCATION IN UTAH | continued on page 52 Supporting STEM Education in Utah UTAH STEM ACTION CENTER Utah legislators made a significant investment in the future of Utah’s children. The STEM Action Center was established in 2013 legislative session and has received a total of $30million to support STEM education and workforce alignment efforts. The STEMActionCenter is co-located in the UtahGovernor’sOffice of Economic Development and has strong partnerships with the Utah State Office of Education, the Utah System of Higher Educa- tion and the Utah Department of Workforce Services. The overarching purpose of the Center is to prioritize STEMeduca- tion, which works to develop Utah’s workforce of the future. This is achieved through greater coordination and collaboration, which results in the identification and use of proven practices. The STEM Action Center executes several projects that help to support both educators and students in STEM in K-16 classrooms. The key outcome is to encourage and support the recruitment, retention and success of students in STEM-related education and career pathways. Timpview & Hillcrest High STEM Dancers perform at the STEM Utah School Assembly on October 21, 2014. The event was broadcast live from the new Olympus High School Commons with Bryan Kehl, seven-season NFL linebacker and STEM advocate, as a featured speaker. By Kaitlin Felsted, Marketing Communications Specialist with the Utah STEM Action Center