Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1199625
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 12 JANUARY 2020 21 COMMERCIAL 15 SCIENCE, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ‒ STEM ‒ affect every as- pect of our lives, from managing our fi- nances to adopting a more sustainable, climate-friendly lifestyle. As the world changes and the pace of change increases, it is vital to encourage the younger gen- erations to get involved with STEM sub- jects. According to The Future of Jobs report compiled by the World Economic Forum, 65 % of the jobs our children will do will be new careers. Most will be STEM-related. Beyond this soaring demand for profes- sionals, STEM subjects are also essential for children and young people to develop crucial life skills such as solving problems, evaluating data and thinking creatively. Unfortunately, STEM subjects tend to suffer from the misguided perception that they are harder than other options, or that they only appeal to boys. This is putting some young people off engaging with them and enjoying the multiple op- portunities they offer. According to the 2018 PISA report, par- ents are more likely to expect their sons to work in a STEM field, even when boys and girls perform equally well in math- ematics and science. The gender gap is indeed an issue. Glob- ally, only about 31.5 % of graduates from STEM-related fields are women. Some EU countries are starting to reverse this trend but the situation in Malta is still not rosy. While 59 % of the overall graduates at the University of Malta were female in 2016-2017, only 9.7 % of all graduates were STEM female graduates. This is obviously reflected in the work- place, where matters are compounded by a whole range of other obstacles, many of which will be discussed at the next in- formal debate by Malta Café Scientifique on Women in Science, scheduled to take place on 20 February 2020 at the Univer- sity Campus in Valletta. Thankfully, a lot is being done to make STEM subjects more appealing and ac- cessible to all. Education professionals ad- vocate the use of interactive educational tools, outdoor learning and incorporating STEM in daily activities. Destereotyping STEM professionals and reaching out to children and students via STEM Ambas- sadors they can identify with is another recommended pathway. We are also starting to reap the benefits of non-formal and informal education, such as the activities offered by science centres and technology clubs, which pre- sent STEM subjects not only as useful in- vestments – a concept younger children may be unable to grasp – but as fun ac- tivities involving exploring, tinkering and building. Esplora Interactive Science Centre – which is run by the Malta Council for Sci- ence and Technology – in collaboration with the University of Malta, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technol- ogy, the Ministry for Education and Em- ployment, JobsPlus, the National Skills Council and the Institute for Education, has embarked on an ambitious STEM En- gagement programme aimed at tackling the above issues. One of the first actions on the agenda is the STEM Career Expo taking place from 21 to 26 January 2020 at Esplora. Rec- ognizing the importance of stimulating interest in STEM from an early age, this Expo will primarily target children in late primary. On weekdays, schoolchildren will meet STEM professionals from different pri- vate companies, government entities and NGOs and engage in brief hands-on ac- tivities with them. Whether it is by doing a simple coding activity, inserting rivets in the wing of plane, extracting the DNA of a banana or pretending to be on a field survey, children will get a taste of what professionals do in their daily work and appreciate how fascinating, purposeful and enjoyable every occupation is, espe- cially when performed with passion. The Expo will also be open to the gen- eral public during the weekend, with ad- ditional fun activities such as a STEM Ca- reers science show, a Guess Who game and a mini maker space. For more information, please visit the Esplora website (www.esplora.org.mt) or follow the National STEM Career Expo Facebook event page. This event is part-funded by the Eras- mus+ project 'RAISE - Raising Awareness and Interest in STEAM Employment'. STEM is for everyone