STEM Leads to a Bright Future

Why the STEM Network Matters.

Article written by Andrew Mertig of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

As a Career Coach, I get the opportunity to talk with Middle and High School students about all of the academic and career options that exist for them after high school. One thing I encourage students to do is to make an informed decision by considering their skills, values, interests, and maybe most importantly, researching the current and future job outlook. STEM careers in Green Bay, Northeast Wisconsin, and the rest of the country are booming, and are forecasted to continue to grow for the foreseeable future.       

Careers in Health Science, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Information Technology, Digital Arts, Public Safety, and the Trades now require highly technical skills. In order to meet the employee demands of our local industries, we have to teach students how to meet the demands of these fields. In order to get students into these programs, we have to have youth in our communities who see STEM fields as a reality in their future. From my perspective, the Greater Green Bay STEM Network provides the infrastructure which will allow our industries and the people in our community to thrive in the STEM careers of the future.

The results can be astonishing. High paying jobs for our graduates lead to happy and healthy citizens and families. Highly qualified employees draw employers to move to our area; resulting in an increased number of innovative job opportunities. However, this is not possible without cultivating curiosity and implanting the desire to learn in our children. Kids have to see STEM careers as a realistic option, and see the impact they can have on the world. To me, that is the power of the Greater Green Bay STEM Network.

Want to know more about program options at NWTC? Visit: www.nwtc.edu/programs.