Technology, by design, is transformative – innovations in computing have changed how manufacturing is conducted in industries as diverse as automotive manufacturing and semiconductor production.
In turn, this has led to a greater focus on STEM education in the classroom – with many, including those who have completed an online EdD in Educational Leadership, having a great appreciation for how STEM can help today’s students into the manufacturing roles of tomorrow.
For many of us, the winds of change are beginning to shape the next generation of product design and manufacturing. If you’ve been involved in manufacturing for many decades, this can sometimes feel disconcerting – change, by design, is not an easy process. What will the rise of STEM mean for modern manufacturing?
Manufacturing is Changing
Let’s face facts. For the first time since the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, a new and emerging invention has emerged to challenge historically accepted standards in the manufacturing industry. That is, of course, the modern computer – envisaged by Alan Turing in the 1930s and brought to life by a range of pioneering computer scientists in different fields, such as Konrad Zuse’s Z3, Arthur Dickinson of IBM, and the codebreakers behind the Colossus computer – used to decipher German communications during World War II.
In the near century since the invention of the modern computer, improvements in manufacturing processes, system design, and constant innovation have led to the creation of increasingly faster, more efficient, and more powerful machines.
Take, for example, modern films such as James Cameron’s epic Avatar – with the use of powerful computers, visual effects studios such as Weta were able to use computing technology to rapidly manufacture detailed film sequences – in ways that simply would not have been possible with older generations of computers.
Some proponents of modern computing consider the technological shifts occurring in manufacturing an example of a modern industrial revolution – where technology has become so powerful and innovative that it is changing the world around it.
The Importance of STEM
Of course, at this point, you may begin to wonder – how does STEM fit into modern manufacturing? Surely, it’s all about computers, right?
As it turns out, the skills that you need to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics align incredibly well with the skills necessary to find success in modern manufacturing.
STEM instills many skills that can be really useful in the workplace. Take, for example, critical thinking – a skill that helps learners apply logic and reasoning to understand a process and something vital to succeed in a field like mathematics.
In turn, those critical thinking skills can then be taken and honed in a manufacturing environment – allowing manufacturers to adapt quickly to a changing environment, and address challenges as they arise.
STEM is important – in some respects, crucial – because it can help students learn the fundamentals required in a world transformed by decades of computers. By connecting the skills that students learn with the roles of the future, students with a strong STEM background will find it easier to find work that intersects with the skills that they have learned.
Making The Connection
One of the notable challenges when talking about STEM is that, for many, there’s a disconnect between what is taught in a classroom and how it applies to a future career pathway. In fact, data published by the National Science Foundation in 2022 raised concerns about the state of STEM in America – notably, that students were increasingly falling behind.
Many nations have substantial STEM skills shortages, and they will continue to do so unless change is made. For educators, it’s essential that students are engaged with STEM in a way that not only encourages growth and learning but also helps them connect with the sorts of careers that are possible when their education is complete.
For some universities, summer research programs offer students a unique opportunity to gain exposure to projects that require STEM skills. By bringing university faculty and high school students together, students can begin to make the connection between the STEM skills they have today and how they can be applied in fields such as spectroscopy, bioinformatics, and advanced electronics.
This allows students to showcase their skills and really drive those connections between what they’re learning now and what’s possible in the future.
Capturing The Next Generation of Manufacturers
The need for STEM has grown rapidly in the past decade – and sometimes, it can be challenging to understand just what roles are available to students when they graduate with a particular qualification.
For the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, the answer to this problem seemed simple – harness the power of Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev’s periodic table and empower it with the knowledge of STEM. The result? A periodic table of STEM job occupations.
For budding STEM professionals, understanding some of the available roles when completing a qualification can help guide where a future STEM graduate may look for work. Often, it can be hard to make the connection between learning and what’s next, so tools such as this can really empower future STEM professionals in their job search.
In manufacturing, leading bodies such as Manufacturing USA are engaging with member groups to collate and compile a list of programs and opportunities that students can apply for. Perhaps, to address the demand for STEM skills in manufacturing, companies must find new and unique ways to capture students’ attention nationwide.
Looking To The Future
STEM will continue to form a vital part of the future workforce, allowing industries to advance, innovate, and change much quicker than was previously possible.
As the manufacturing industry struggles to find STEM workers, it must consider its role in engaging with the students and classrooms of tomorrow. STEM is, without a doubt, essential – but if employers and students are disconnected, how can either possibly succeed in the long term?
With STEM programs ramping up at many universities, manufacturers have a unique opportunity to partner with organizations to capture the hearts and minds of a new generation of workers.
Will we see a new generation of STEM programs highlighting the benefits of STEM skills in manufacturing? Only time will tell.
