Defining STEM: how an acronym became a shopping list

The generality of the umbrella term 'STEM' (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) as a synonym for a diverse group of skills and academic fields poses various problems in terms of workforce planning and targeted interventions. This webinar brings together a synthesis from National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) research investigating various educational and occupational concepts associated with STEM.

Generally, the focus has been on how the school and university sectors can help equip the workforce with the STEM-related skills and knowledge considered necessary for the changing economy. NCVER's research explores ways to measure how the vocational education and training (VET) sector is contributing to the development of STEM-related skills. Better measurement of STEM in VET can help to identify supply and demand for education and training, assess (and improve) outcomes and efficiency, direct funding and resources, and properly inform students' choices.

In this webinar the following propositions will be discussed: there is no universally shared definition of STEM skills and therefore there cannot be comparable 'STEM' statistics; initiatives or statistics should be planned and reported separately per defined field of discipline (e.g. natural sciences, engineering, finance or health) or skill type (technical, higher cognitive or socio-emotional); and the contributions and potential of the VET sector are underreported and underrepresented.

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