Course Description 
By high school, many students have preconceived perceptions of what it means to have a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). High school is also a time when students begin to think about post-secondary plans and what potential paths they want to follow in pursuit of a fulfilling career. Therefore, it is extremely important for high school students to have an accurate view of what a “traditional” STEM career looks like, as well as how STEM can be useful and important in other careers.

This presentation will bust three preconceived notions about STEM and give Adult Advocates the knowledge and resources to challenge and change those perceptions. These “myths” are:

1. You need a four-year degree to enter a STEM field
2. The major you choose decides your whole career
3. You can be a math person or a creative person, not both

In each of the sections, Adult Advocates will have the opportunity to learn about non-traditional STEM paths like trade school, the importance of knowing the difference between engineering roles like design engineer vs. quality engineer, the interconnectedness of STEM and art, and more! By challenging these perceptions, students will be able to see the vast amount of opportunities that exist in STEM.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe at least three strategies to effectively engage high school students in STEM topics
• Identify at least three ways that high school students can utilize STEM ideas and skills in non-traditional STEM pathways
• Compare the differences between at least three kinds of professional engineering job titles

Duration: 55 minutes

Presented by the SWE Outreach Introducing Engineering Concepts Work Group

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