What is STEM?

Imagine you’re in a classroom full of kindergartners. You’ve planned a fun project where students glue shapes together to make pictures. But instead of glue sticks, all you have is liquid glue.

If you’ve ever worked with young children, you can picture the chaos — glue on tables, glue on hands, glue everywhere. The projects would take forever to dry. And you’d end up with more sticky messes than finished work.

This is where STEM comes in.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math. But it’s more than just four subjects. It’s a way of thinking that helps students solve problems and make things better and easier. 

In 1969, a German company called Henkel saw the messiness of using liquid glue. “How can we make this easier?” they asked themselves. They got an idea from twist-up lipsticks and applied the design to glue. And just like that, the glue stick was born, changing classrooms (and art projects) forever.

What is STEM education?

STEM is behind many of the things we rely on every day. Think about the apps on your phone, the bridges you drive over, or the shoes you wear. All of these things exist because of STEM.

STEM education is about connecting student learning to the world around them — a world with phone apps, bridges, and shoes. Students look at real-world problems, ask questions, think critically, and find solutions. 

Through STEM, students figure out how things work and why they matter. They don’t just memorize facts. Whether they’re improving an existing product — like Henkel did with glue — or coming up with something new, STEM helps students become problem-solvers.

Why is STEM education important?

STEM education is important because the world is always changing. Technology is advancing quickly. Today’s students will need to solve problems we can’t even imagine yet.

The demand for STEM workers is expected to grow, with estimates showing a 10.8 percent increase between 2021 and 2030.¹ There could be more than 11 million STEM jobs by 2030.² But not enough students are choosing STEM careers to meet this demand. That’s why it’s important to introduce STEM education early. 

STEM education isn’t just about preparing students for future careers in STEM. The skills they build during STEM activities are useful in any job. Plus, learning to tackle challenges through STEM will help them solve problems throughout their lives.

Take the glue stick as an example. Over the years, it’s evolved to meet new needs. Have you seen the purple glue stick that goes on purple but dries clear? That innovation helps students see where they’ve already applied glue, cutting down on waste and making projects more precise. This kind of thinking is at the heart of STEM: identifying a need and coming up with a solution. 

Not all innovations are perfect. Glitter glue sticks, for instance, might be fun at home. But they can be a mess to clean up. The trial-and-error process is a big part of STEM. It’s how we learn, improve, and innovate.

With the right support, all students can thrive in STEM classrooms, including students who learn and think differently. Learn how to make inclusive STEM lessons and use UDL to make STEM content accessible to all. 

STEM career connections

STEM education opens up many career possibilities. Research shows that introducing young children to STEM can make a big difference in their future interests.³ Middle school is also an important time to teach STEM. Students’ experiences during middle school can greatly impact their education and career paths.⁴ 

Introducing students to different STEM careers helps them understand what’s possible. The more career options students know about, the more likely they are to find one that excites them. And there are lots of career options. 

Today, there are more than 240 recognized STEM careers — and counting — across fields like science, technology, art, sports, and more. Many professions combine creativity with STEM knowledge to create something special. For example, chefs use technology to perfect recipes. Precision cooking tools and kitchen management software are all part of a modern kitchen. 

STEM careers aren’t just for people who love science or math. They’re for anyone who is curious, creative, and ready to take on challenges.

Future-ready skills

We can’t predict what the jobs of the future will be. But we know that students will need certain skills to succeed in any future career. These are often called future-ready skills: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. STEM education helps students practice these skills through hands-on, real-world learning.

• Critical thinking is about reflecting, analyzing, and connecting ideas. Students ask questions and consider different perspectives.

• Collaboration means using everyone’s strengths to solve problems together. It’s a key skill in any field, from tech startups to research labs.

• Communication is about sharing ideas and connecting with others. It’s essential for explaining your work and building relationships.

• Creativity is about thinking outside the box. Creativity drives innovation.

STEM education helps students become innovative thinkers. Whether they’re going to be developing new technology or creating a glue stick that never loses its cap (wouldn’t that be amazing?), students need STEM skills to thrive in a world that’s always changing.