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STEM careers are experiencing phenomenal growth. Technology is driving change and innovation across various industries, including healthcare, retail, and finance, and automation is becoming more human-like than ever before. According to Gartner, Inc., a leading information technology research and advisory company in the United States, by 2030, 80% of project management tasks (such as data collection, tracking, and reporting) will be performed by AI, rendering these jobs obsolete for humans.

However, abilities that computers cannot replicate, such as teamwork, collaboration, creativity, and adaptability to change, remain crucial. The National Bureau of Economic Research has found that the demand for workers with social skills is increasing due to the spread of automation. Employees with strong soft skills become more versatile and open up more growth opportunities in today’s job market.

 

STEM vs. STEAM

The Evolution of Roles in the STEM Field

Consequently, the role of STEM professionals is changing, requiring a broader range of skills and backgrounds, including those related to the arts. Proficiency in the arts is particularly important for engineers and computer scientists in emerging industries such as theme experiences, gaming, simulation, and education. Programmers and engineers increasingly collaborate with artists to co-develop software, products, and renderings.
 

Dr. Ali P. Gordon, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida, and philanthropist David Gonski emphasize the importance of returning to the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic (the "Three Rs"). Gonski 2.0 and the Australian Curriculum suggest the direction for 22nd-century skills should include connection, care, community, and culture. Educators now argue for a curriculum that integrates arts (STEAM) with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts across a broader curriculum.

 

What is STEM?

STEM-focused curricula aim to provide experts with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete in the global economy across various sub-disciplines such as statistics, biology, psychology, economics, agriculture, and aeronautics. According to the Pew Research Center, employment in STEM jobs has increased by 79% since 1990, outpacing overall job growth in the U.S. Students have taken note of this favorable employment trend. According to U.S. News & World Report, students today are twice as likely to study STEM subjects compared to their parents' generation.
 

Excellent STEM programs should:

   - Actively engage students in solving real-world problems.

   - Integrate various STEM content areas meaningfully.

   - Use inquiry-based and student-centered teaching and learning.

   - Have students use the engineering design process to find solutions.

   - Foster productive teamwork and communication among students.

   - Encourage students to think critically, creatively, and innovatively.
 

The National Bureau of Economic Research found that while STEM jobs contribute to economic development through innovation, rapid technological changes continuously create new job demands within the STEM field, rendering some previously required skills and tasks obsolete. Therefore, it is essential for students to develop rigorous knowledge of math and science while also being able to integrate and apply this knowledge to solve national challenges with the flexibility and versatility needed to adapt to change.

 

What is STEAM?

With the increasing emphasis on soft skills across various industries and roles, there is a growing need for a curriculum that integrates STEM and the arts. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. According to The Conversation, creative skills and knowledge in the arts, such as design, writing, and history, help STEM employees solve problems more innovatively. STEAM-focused curricula incorporate studies in humanities, language arts, dance, drama, music, visual arts, design, and new media. A 2018 LinkedIn report found that 57% of senior leaders value soft skills more than hard skills, making students who explore and master one of these subjects more marketable in today’s workforce. A 2019 LinkedIn report highlighted that creativity, persuasion, and collaboration are the top three skills companies seek in future employees.

 

STEM vs. STEAM

The main difference between STEM and STEAM is that STEM explicitly focuses on scientific concepts, while STEAM investigates the same concepts through inquiry and problem-based learning methods used in creative processes. By integrating the concepts and practices of the arts, STEAM deepens understanding of science, math, and technology through tools like data visualization or artistic imagery. This kind of creative thinking leads STEAM professionals to use 3D printers to create new products or refine complex data sets into easy-to-understand formats like infographics.

 

The Impact of STEAM on Learning

Arts advocates like Ruth Catchen believe that art can serve as a gateway for underserved students to enter STEM. She views artistic activities as a way to provide more diverse learning and increase motivation and the likelihood of STEM success. Roger Essley, an artist, educator, and writer, encourages the use of visual tools to help STEM students grasp and share complex ideas. He notes that scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and inventors have used visual tools for centuries to explain their ideas to others and clarify their own thinking.

Research also shows that students with a strong foundation in the arts perform better academically overall. The University of Florida found that, on average, students who studied the arts for four years in high school scored 98 points higher on the SAT than those who studied it for less than half a year. The study also concluded that students who took music appreciation scored 61 points higher in the verbal section and 42 points higher in the math section.

 

3 Ways to Integrate Arts into STEM

1. Design

Art can serve a practical function in STEM. Students can apply art design principles to the STEM products they create. They can use computer graphics to create logos or stylized designs for inclusion in communication or presentations. Through industrial design, students can enhance the appearance, design, and utility of products. This type of project can also help students acquire digital skills and apply technology authentically.
 

2. Communication

Art (including language) can play a crucial role in communicating with other students and the broader community. For example, during STEM classes, students can sketch or draw to explain their ideas more clearly to others. They can also use technical or persuasive writing or communicate verbally. Language teachers can significantly assist STEM students in acquiring the collaboration and communication skills needed in the 21st-century market.
 

3. Creative Planning

Adopting a fun, creative, and artistic approach when brainstorming solutions to engineering problems can increase productivity. Engaging the artistic right brain can help generate creative and innovative thinking, adding passion to projects.

 

Careers in STEAM

According to the Washington Post, 92% of senior employees in leadership positions, such as CEOs and product engineers, hold a bachelor's degree, and 47% hold a graduate degree. However, the type of degree they hold might surprise you. Only 37% have degrees in engineering or computer technology, while the remaining 63% have degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, accounting, healthcare, arts, and humanities.

Interdisciplinary collaboration has become the new standard. Many of the world’s top engineers and scientists have an appreciation for or are artists themselves. Their interests and talents cannot be confined to a single discipline.
 

STEAM careers examples: 

   - Architect

   - Sound Engineer

   - Graphic Designer

   - Conservation Manager

   - Product Designer

   - Urban Planner and Archaeologist