Why is STEM education important?

If you have school-aged children, it is more likely you have heard of STEM education. But do you know what it is? For those who don’t know, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The skills a student learns from taking part in STEM subjects are considered a very important part of a child’s education and for good reason – technology is constantly changing, the demand for skills in these STEM areas is high, and the range of occupations related to STEM skills is continuously growing.  

Even if your child doesn’t want to become a Computer Scientist or an Engineer when they finish school, a STEM education is still very relevant.

The skills a child can learn through STEM education, including digital literacy, critical analysis, problem-solving and creativity, can be highly useful in their everyday life, even away from the classroom. For example, elements of STEM education encourage children to be able to work collaboratively as part of a team. STEM programs in early education years may also help build a child’s confidence in relation to STEM subjects as they progress through school.

Whatever career a child decides to pursue in the future, the skills that a child can develop through STEM education are aimed at equipping children to solve real world problems, and may be highly valued by potential employees.

Gone are the days of being in a job from ‘hire until retire’. A child in school now is likely to go through numerous career changes during their working life. Therefore, the ability and drive to learn new things and be resilient when it comes to change has never been more important. After all, when you think about it, there are many people in jobs that did not exist even 10 to 20 years ago. With automation and other technologies constantly growing, job opportunities will continue to evolve to reflect this. 

STEM education aims to prepare children for this fast-changing and technology-driven world and give them tools and skills to succeed in it.

Ardoch is proud that our Curious Young Minds Early Stem Literacy Program was announced as the winter in the ‘Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning’ in the Department of Education and Training’s Victorian Early Years Awards earlier this year.  Go to Ardoch’s website to learn about our STEM programs.