Exploring STEM career pathways in afterschool

Photo courtesy of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance

By Hannah Lakin, ACRES coach at the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance.

Without clear pathways into STEM careers, many young people—especially those from underrepresented communities—are missing out on opportunities in fields that are shaping the future. The ACRES program illuminates these pathways using virtual coaching to equip afterschool educators with strategies for facilitating career-connected STEM experiences with youth.

One of the eight ACRES modules focuses on connecting youth with STEM career pathways. ACRES frames these pathways as beginning with youth having relevant STEM experiences that nurture their STEM identity and progressing with integrated opportunities for career engagement. After experiencing several strategies along this continuum, educators choose a couple to practice with youth in their program. Then, they video-record their work with youth before returning to the cohort to reflect on their practice with peers and a coach. This approach leverages video sharing and feedback as a means of professional learning.

Creating Opportunities for Relevance

When youth see how STEM connects to real-life issues, they can become more interested in engaging with STEM topics. Strategies practiced in ACRES include:

• Ask youth how the activity relates or is similar to their life/past experiences. Youth exercise their ability to see STEM in the world.
   
• Ask youth how they think their solution/design/theory could be used to help others and what its limitations might be. Youth see how thinking critically about the impact of ideas models the work of engineers.

Nurturing Youths’ STEM Identity

As youth connect personally to the content, they start to see themselves capable of engaging with STEM. Coaches remind educators that youths’ identities are not built in a day, but some of these facilitation moves are both subtle and powerful:

• Affirm youth when you notice them using STEM practices: Educators make comments that recognize the practices of STEM professionals, like “I notice you are thinking scientifically right now.”
   
• Encourage youth to persist through challenges and setbacks: Educators remind them that these are growth opportunities rather than a judgment of their person.

Connecting Youth to STEM Career Pathways

Understanding how their learning relates to future careers can empower youth to continue building STEM skills. ACRES educators learn strategies for exploring STEM careers with youth, such as:

• Connect youth with diverse role models who use STEM in their careers. Educators can connect youth to various STEM role models, such as parents or local professionals.
   
• Have youth do the STEM that they would do in a STEM career and collaborate with professionals on a project or activity. Some examples include tracking heart rates with an athletic trainer or conducting biomimicry design with an aerospace engineer.

Long-Term Impact on the STEM Workforce

Afterschool programs are uniquely positioned to help build a more equitable representation in the STEM workforce. Afterschool programs not only engage a large number of youth from underrepresented groups, but they also provide opportunities to build interest in STEM outside of school settings and often connect youth with community members (as seen in the America After 3PM report). With coaching and support, afterschool educators are well-positioned to inspire youth today to be the STEM workforce of tomorrow.