Many factors are considered when students choose their program type and college major. If you are someone exploring your options for the same, you have undoubtedly heard of STEM majors and probably wondered what makes them so competitive.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or STEM programs are rising in popularity as their demand in the job market gets higher and higher each day.
Besides a higher demand in the job market, here are a few more benefits of enrolling in a STEM program in college.
1. Contribution To Innovation
Deciding on a major is a lot more than just figuring out the path with the least resistance and the highest paycheck at the end. It has to do with understanding an individual’s purpose and impact to some extent.
The beauty of a STEM field is that it will introduce you to a world of innovation.
Changing more rapidly than any other field, STEM fields are where new inventions and innovations are the driving force of competition.
The benefit of enrolling in such a program almost guarantees that you will be able to contribute to your area of study and have the opportunity to be involved in innovative research in said area.
2. Application-based Critical Thinking
One of the biggest benefits of a STEM education is that the curriculum usually promotes critical thinking skills to solve real problems.
Many non-STEM majors teach critical thinking skills such as philosophy, history, and anthropology while most non-STEM majors such as management, law, and education teach through an application-based learning approach. The unique quality of STEM programs is that they train students using a combined approach and promote both skills simultaneously.
Students are encouraged to think critically about real problems and solve them using the theory they learned in the classroom.
While it can be a part of other majors’ course offerings too, you are sure to reap the highest benefit of critical thinking when choosing a STEM program.
3. High-paying Job Opportunities
Some of the highest-paid jobs in many countries are held by those working in STEM fields such as computer engineering, data analysis, or cardiac surgery with average salaries reaching USD 80,000 and above.
While these salaries are only climbing with hardly any sign of slowing down, the supply is still less than the demand.
Since STEM fields are usually considered harder to excel in, many students decide to pursue other fields thus, creating this shortage of STEM workers.
This shortage is so prevalent that some countries even offer special visas and study programs for students enrolled in STEM courses as an incentive to pursue them and work in that country.
4. Transferable Soft Skills
STEM programs are often thought of as highly technical that develop specific hard skills depending on your chosen STEM field. However, few people realize the soft skills that are developing in the process.
STEM curriculums develop many soft skills such as team collaboration, time management, presentation skills, and even strategic reasoning.
Even something as small as making a powerpoint or hiring a powerpoint writer to make a powerpoint can prove highly beneficial when it comes to practicing presentation soft skills.
Conclusion
All in all, building a career in a STEM field can be highly rewarding and beneficial.
The best way to get started is to take a shot at researching some of the technologies you are interested in and see how they came to be as pivotal as they are today.
Find people that inspire you and you will be well on your way to achieving a fulfilling career in STEM.