"Many educators in our country believe we need to accelerate our approach to STEM
education," Moss says. "There are three to four million STEM job openings in the U.S.
right now, and companies can't find American workers with the skills they need. Fifty
percent of everybody's jobs right now are STEM, and they're predicting that in the next
10 years about 75 percent of all jobs will involve STEM."
What can parents and educators do to foster more interest? Consider the following:
* Find role models. If a child doesn't know anyone working in STEM, he or she may
be unable to imagine a career in such roles. Introduce him or her to people actively
working in such fields, then encourage discussion and/or job shadowing. Teachers
might bring in speakers who can answer candid questions about the rewards and chal-
lenges in their fields - including significant demand and attractive pay scales.
