Teachers work to meet Idaho job skill needs
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers from across the state are convening at Idaho State University to network new methods of teaching.
The Idaho STEM Action Center, created in 2015, is working to help train students to fill demand in critical Idaho jobs.
According to the Center, Idaho’s unfilled STEM jobs grew from 3,800 in 2016 to 6,000 last year. That represents nearly $355 million in lost personal wages and more than $20 million in lost state tax receipts. The Idaho Department of Labor predicts as many as 36,000 STEM jobs could be unfilled by 2024, representing a loss of $120 million in lost state tax revenue annually.
The STEM Action Center hopes to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of STEM programs and align them with education programs and workforce needs. Industry, government, educators and students are all participating.
In Pocatello this week, teachers are reviewing a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. They are exploring ways of incorporating those subjects into other areas of traditionally non-STEM areas of study, like art, music and language.
