STEM Vs. STEAM

In areas such as healthcare, retail, and finance, technology is driving transformation and innovation. Not only is it automating repetitious chores, but it is also becoming more human-like than ever. Gartner expects that by 2030, AI will handle 80 percent of project management responsibilities (such as data collecting, tracking, and reporting). However, there are some soft talents that a computer cannot imitate in the workplace, such as teamwork, cooperation, creativity, and adaptability to change, to mention a few. This requirement for soft skills has resulted in the development of new curriculum to assist individuals desiring to enter the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in meeting the changing needs of today's workforce. STEM positions have evolved, requiring more well-rounded workers with backgrounds and talents connected not only to technical studies but also to the arts. As a result, educators created the acronym STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), prompting many to compare STEM and STEAM, as well as their merits and applications in the professional sphere.

STEM courses aim to provide professionals with the skills and knowledge required to compete in a global economy across the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math, as well as subspecialties like statistics, biology, psychology, economics, agriculture, and aeronautics. According to the Pew Research Center, employment in STEM fields has increased by 79 percent since 1990, exceeding total job growth in the United States. This positive job trend has caught the attention of students. According to U.S. News & World Report, students are now twice as likely as their parents to study STEM topics. Many parents support this course of study: According to 52 percent of polled parents, the number of STEM employment will increase over the next decade. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) concurs with this forecast, predicting growth in STEM occupations.

According to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research, while STEM professions contribute to the advancement of the economy through innovation, rapid technological advancements constantly create need for new employment within the STEM area, rendering certain previously required skills and responsibilities obsolete. As a result, STEM is a dynamic group of professions, and students must develop subject-matter knowledge while simultaneously gaining the flexibility and well-roundedness required to adapt to changes as they occur. These shifts, as well as the increased emphasis on soft skills across industries and occupations, are driving the demand for STEM-integrated arts curriculum. According to The Conversation, STEM professionals with creative skills and understanding of the arts, such as design, writing, and history, tackle challenges in more imaginative ways.

STEAM-focused programs combine the humanities, language arts, dance, theatre, music, visual arts, design, new media, and more by integrating the arts into STEM. According to a 2018 LinkedIn survey, students who investigate and master any of these disciplines will be more valuable in today's business, since 57 percent of senior leaders value soft skills more than hard talents. Furthermore, according to a 2019 LinkedIn survey, the top three qualities sought by employers in prospective employees are innovation, persuasion, and cooperation.

The difference between STEM and STEAM is in how they handle scientific subjects. STEM emphasizes the use of hard scientific, technological, engineering, or mathematical skills to propel advancement or develop new ideas. According to The Conversation, kids in STEAM courses use both hard and soft talents to address challenges.

STEAM, for example, promotes teamwork in order to comprehend a STEM idea. STEAM uses techniques such as data visualization or fine art imagery to increase one's comprehension of science, math, and technology by integrating concepts and practices from the arts. This type of unconventional thinking is what drives STEAM experts to develop new goods utilizing 3D printers or to reduce complex data sets into simple formats such as infographics.

According to Emerson, a technology and engineering business, the STEM job shortage in the United States is nearing crisis proportions. According to the same poll, the number of STEM-related jobs is increasing faster than the current worker capability. According to a Deloitte report, the manufacturing industry's skills gap alone may leave an estimated 2.4 million jobs unfilled between 2018 and 2028.

According to projections, employment in various professions in this industry will continue to expand substantially. For example, the BLS predicts that employment possibilities for information security analysts will grow 28 percent from 2016 to 2026, while mathematicians and statisticians will grow 33 percent during the same time period.

STEM encompasses a wide range of jobs, many of which have strong growth and earning potential. According to the Pew Research Center, students who are trained in STEM disciplines often make more money, whether or not they work in a STEM occupation. According to Pew, the median wages for STEM college-educated, full-time workers is $81,011, which is $20,183 higher than the median earnings for other college majors.

There are a multitude of STEM occupations available that offer even better income potential. As of 2018, the median compensation for information security analysts was $98,350, according to the BLS. These professionals assist businesses in protecting themselves from cyberattacks such as hacks and data leaks.

@talentserve

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