According to the 2007 U.S. Department of Labor Report, “American pre-eminence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) will not be secured or extended without effort and investments. Trends in K-12 and higher education science and math preparation, coupled with demographic and labor trends, point to a serious challenge: our nation needs to increase the supply and quality of ‘knowledge workers,’ whose specialized skills enable them to work productively within STEM industries and occupations.” (The STEM Workforce Challenge: The role of the Public Workforce System in a National Solution for a Competitive Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce)
To help address this increasing need for jobs in STEM fields, Iowa Public Television (IPTV) is partnering with FIRST (coordinated by the Iowa State University College of Engineering) and other STEM-related organizations to promote youth interest in STEM education. The primary target audience for IPTV's work will be youth with a focus on helping them become excited about opportunities and careers in these fields. As part of this partnership, IPTV is providing a series of free ICN sessions related to these careers for students in grades 7-9. During these sessions, students will have the opportunity to meet various professionals in Iowa who are working in STEM careers. Students will also have the opportunity to see professionals on the job as they view a short video produced by IPTV during the session. These sessions are provided as part of a CPB Community Engagement/STEM grant.
In addition to providing students with valuable insight into STEM careers, these sessions are also a great resource for schools looking to help meet the Iowa career education requirement. This requirement is designed to help students complete a high school and career development plan. These sessions are a great resource for schools needing to help students with the critical work of planning their futures. Sign up today!
March Sessions:
Instructional Designer
March 4
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Health Professionals
March 26
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Prosthetist and Orthotist
March 25
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
