Develop the Workforce of the Future
Building the Foundational Skills Needed for Success in Work at the Human-Technology Frontier
The proliferation of new technologies has changed the way we live, learn, and work. Although the future of work is unclear, thought leaders, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), assert that artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, robotics, and machine learning will be ubiquitous in tomorrow’s workplaces.
K–8 STEM Career Competencies: Developing Foundational Skills for the Future of Work
This framework identifies 10 foundational career competency areas correlated to characteristics of future work at the Human Technology Frontier and what thought leaders in the field believe successful workers in those environments need to know and be able to do. It is meant as a guide for teachers interested in helping their students develop the foundations of skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to be successful in life when they exit formal schooling. Many of the suggested competencies may already be included in the curriculum or pedagogy in K-8 classrooms.
Journal of Science Education and Technology Special Issue - Stories from ITEST: Inspiring Young People to Pursue STEM Careers
The ITEST program has enabled creativity, experimentation, and cultural responsiveness in STEM education and workforce development and broadened participation in STEM initiatives to Native American communities, underresourced urban communities, girls, and populations underrepresented in STEM fields. By approaching research and evaluation with flexibility and resourcefulness, the authors provide empirical evidence for the value of innovative approaches to STEM education that promote STEM interest and career-related outcomes and that build the foundational skills of the scientific and engineering workforce of the future.
ITEST Info Brief: Meeting the Needs of STEM Workforce Development
This 2010 ITEST Information Brief shares examples and data about how the ITEST program strives to connect workforce development needs and K-12 learning in and out of school.