Technology is changing. Fast. And with so many advancements being made each year, the idea of keeping up with all the changes can seem daunting – especially to the average American worker!
As stated by numerous STEM experts (including Career In STEM’s own Ashley Pereira!), STEM helps kids and students develop vital design thinking and problem-solving skills. Guthrie-Jensen Global Training Consultants knows what skills that Americans are going to need in the next decade, and they’ve put together a great infographic breaking down what the workforce needs. We at Career In STEM want to show you how various STEM careers can help you sharpen the skills you’ll soon be needing!
- Complex Problem Solving
With many STEM careers, problem solving is an absolute need. Careers that involve intensive research, such as toxicology or aerospace engineering, certainly require and help workers perfect their problem-solving skills. On the other side of the spectrum, other more public service-oriented careers such as crime scene investigation and cyber security analysis also require the employees to find the best solution possible in whatever problem they face.
- Critical Thinking
The skill of critical thinking is a necessity is countless fields – this is especially so with STEM fields! The ability to interpret data and make complex information easier to understand is a much sought-after skill. STEM jobs like job analysis and operations resource analysis are just two examples of the many positions that need critical thinking.
- Creativity
When many people think of STEM, they don’t typically think of creativity as being a major component. To many, the arts and the sciences are two vastly different fields with nothing in common. Not the case! Being creative is a necessary skill that can be learned while pursuing many design-influenced STEM careers such as video game design and fashion designing.
- People Management
A skill that will always be needed in the workforce, people management is something in demand across the board in STEM and non-STEM jobs alike! Managing people contributes to a healthy work environment and high employee morale. Jobs that really help people learn to lead and manage others include Civil Engineer and Urban Planner.
- Coordinating with Others
Another skill that will forever be needed, working with others is an absolute must for many STEM careers. Though coordinating with others is something we learn while in public school, it’s a skill that can and should be sharpened while working toward or working in medical fields that demand teamwork, like nursing and veterinary medicine. Other jobs such as Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist can also help you become more of a team player.
- Emotional Intelligence
Going hand-in-hand with people management and coordination, emotional intelligence is the skill of empathizing with others. Jobs that call for high emotional intelligence can be stressful, but well-paying or even emotionally rewarding. This ability can be mastered by pursuing careers that require you to sympathize and understand others like demography and obstetric medicine.
- Judgment and Decision-Making
Being able to assess situations and make decisive choices is something that is needed in just about every career path. Positions that especially need this ability are positions such as Quality Control Analysts, Construction Managers and Civil Engineers – jobs that need a detail-oriented person to make sure everything runs smoothly. Any one of these careers will help you cultivate this skill!
- Service Orientation
With many STEM fields, it is necessary to be able to offer services and quality customer service and assistance to ensure a business services or a person gets the help they need. This is particularly important in medical jobs such as MRI Technician and X-Ray Technician. This is also the case in non-medical STEM jobs such as yoga instruction; jobs like these are bound to help perfect anyone’s service orientation skills!
- Negotiation
Similar to emotional intelligence, the skill of negotiation is a trait that a lot of workplaces need. The ability to mediate conflicts and reach compromises between two parties is a total necessity in many industries. Jobs that will help you develop this skill are mainly jobs that mix STEM and sales/services, such as Technical Services Representative.
- Cognitive Flexibility
Perhaps a lesser-known skill, cognitive flexibility is the ability to easily assume different personas to take care of a task or tackle a challenge. Basically, you have the skill to effortlessly wear many hats within the same project! Some positions that help build this ability are positions that require lots of multitasking, such as Fish and Game Warden or Naval Surface Warfare Officer.
Explore all the careers mentioned in this article, and MANY more, with the Career In STEM Explorer!
