Nurturing STEM skills and interest in skilled trades careers among younger students
STEM skills are increasingly critical to pursuing careers in the skilled trades. Alberta educators and policy-makers are using innovative learning models to spark early interest in STEM and the trades. supplied
Lethbridge College is undertaking an innovative initiative to fill the future talent pipeline in the skilled trades – a sector where significant labour shortages exist and in which STEM skills are increasingly in demand.
The program emerged from grassroots discussions between college faculty and teachers from the Westwind School Division, who explored how to get younger students more excited about trades careers. It all came together with support from industry and the often-voluntary work by the participants to create new elements for curricula in primary and high schools.
Now, the Alberta government has announced funding to allow this work to continue – $1.39-million for the Lethbridge College Centre for Trades STEM Program. The funding is part of a larger provincial investment to expand apprenticeship programs and support community partnerships to address talent shortages in the skilled trades.
“It’s exciting that we can take something that was built out of a labour of love and turn it into something sustainable through government support,” says Dr. Samantha Lenci, provost and vice president, academic, at Lethbridge College.
“There’s traditionally been a level of separation between post-secondary institutions and the lower education levels. Having industry and the college working hand in hand with primary and secondary schools is going to make a difference in preparing students for careers and real life. ”
Nurturing STEM skills and recognition of STEM’s importance in the trades
As digital transformation sweeps through the economy, skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are integral to success in more and more careers. One of the challenges is that young people are often ruling themselves out of STEM studies and careers early in their education, says Dr. Lenci.
“Research tells us that students often decide whether or not they’re successful in math and science by the time they’re in Grade 5 or 6,” she says. If they tell themselves “STEM is not for me,” their career opportunities narrow, she adds.
As part of its “sustainable youth strategy,” Lethbridge College is focused on sparking young people’s enthusiasm for learning about STEM and for attending college as a valuable pathway to a career.
“We have a lot of STEM programming throughout our institution, 63 different programs to choose from. It’s a high priority for us in all disciplines. What we’re doing first is taking the skilled trades, where STEM is huge, and blending trades-focused lessons into the curricula starting right from kindergarten.”
Sheldon Anderson is the dean of the Centre for Trades and Apprenticeships at the college and a lead champion of the STEM Program. He is passionate about helping people understand the high-tech nature of trades today.
“When I began working to earn my automobile journeyman ticket, we worried about carburetors,” he says. “Today, technicians need to solve problems like a failed software download that prevents a vehicle from starting. And for electricians, we’re adding more weeks to the training because now they have to know how to program a smart home and interconnect lighting and solar panels with these systems.
The STEM team is mapping the Alberta K to 12 curriculum to the college’s trades curriculum to find where they intersect. With guidance from the Lethbridge College Centre for Teaching, Learning and Innovation, lessons are being created following the model of “authentic learning” – which focuses on the practical application of what is being learned. “We know that a lot of students disengage because they can’t see the relevance of what they’re being taught. Authentic learning explains: this is why you want to know this, here’s where it will help you in your everyday life, and also, this knowledge could help you build careers,” says Dr. Lenci.
Dual credits and other initiatives
Lethbridge College uses other approaches to spark interest in the skilled trades and to smooth transitions into its trades programs. The college’s dual credit courses offer opportunities for high school students to get a head start, including in many trades programs. Designed for Grades 11 and 12, students can take courses to earn credit at both their high school and at Lethbridge College, while getting a sampling of what would be involved in training for a specific trade.
The college also holds trades exploratory days, where high school students can visit the college and see what’s offered in the full array of trades, from culinary arts and agricultural equipment technology to the construction trades and Canada’s largest wind turbine technician program.
The goal is to connect the education track throughout the years to help young people avoid coming to the later years of high school and finding they don’t know their career direction.
“There’s traditionally been a level of separation between post-secondary institutions and the lower education levels,” says Mr. Anderson. “Having industry and the college working hand in hand with primary and secondary schools is going to make a difference in preparing students for careers and real life.”
“We’ve talked about strengthening the connections for years, and now it’s great to find a creative solution and to have the province support us to make it a sustainable project,” says Dr. Lenci. “Building foundations for younger children opens them up to the world of possibilities and will change their futures for the better.”
To view this report on The Globe's website, visit globeandmail.com
To view the full report as it appeared in The Globe's print edition: STEM to STEAM EDUCATION
For more information: lethbridgecollege.ca