This webinar featured an interview with Dr. Scott H. Solberg. Dr. Solberg works nationally and internationally on designing, implementing, and evaluating career development programs for high-need, high-risk youth, including those with disabilities. 

His research is widely used by U.S. state leaders, schools, and districts to guide career development policies and programs, such as in Massachusetts, where he collaborates with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on the MyCAP initiative and the Massachusetts Institute for College and Career Readiness. 

He also helped establish the National Coalition on Career Development and coordinates the State Leaders Career Development Network. Dr. Solberg is actively involved in professional organizations and authored the resilience curriculum, ScholarCentric.

Building Durable Skills for the Future

Technology and STEM-related careers have seen significant growth, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. A lot of young people are drawn to careers in technology and other STEM fields. Yet, some may not have the necessary skills or may not understand the variety of skills needed to succeed in a STEM role. Acquiring these skills can open up numerous possibilities for students and expand their future prospects.

Beyond Math and Science

Students and educators tend to think a career in STEM is “… about their math and science [skills], and if they don’t have good grades in math and science, then they’re not worthy,” says Dr. Solberg.  He says people in the STEM field also need to be able to communicate.

Once one learns social-emotional (SEL) skills such as the ability to collaborate/communicate, manage time, problem-solve, etc., they maintain them. “We’re seeing that social emotional skills [are] related to better academic outcomes and mental health as well as now, the employability skills,” Solberg says. And these skills are foundational, so they apply to many other high-demand career areas.

What would happen, he wonders, if the SEL-like skills were elevated, along with math and science, to help students realize that even if they don’t have the technical skills, they have other skills that align with STEM. Would this encourage them to start thinking about different pathways?

These considerations have inspired Xello and Solberg, who collaborate, to develop lessons geared towards middle school students to help them determine if STEM is the right path for them.

Creativity and Problem Solving

Valuable STEM skills can be gained inside and outside the classroom. Employers value creative employees and view them as the key to innovation.

One way to gain these valuable skills is to play games. “We want our students in those maker spaces, those students … doing Minecraft, Solberg says.  He added that playing creative games, like Minecraft and the Kerbal space program, inspires creativity. The latter also helps players of the game learn the complexities of physics. 

Problem-solving is another key trait for a STEM career. That ability alone makes one, “… ready to start thinking about some … STEM areas,” Solberg says. Plus, it’s foundational to many different career opportunities. He also ties it to adaptability, which is useful, since workplaces/workforces regularly experience change.

Xello has lessons that incorporate this information and assess these skills. For those students who rate highly, Xello suggests a range of career opportunities where the skill is especially relevant.

The lessons showcase the relevance of the actual skill to the workplace. This helps students “… see and visualize how these skills are being used and what their value is,” Solberg says.

Add in Confidence

Considering a path that may have seemed out of reach requires confidence and role models.

Currently, women, youth of color, and individuals with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM professions. Many, according to Solberg, lack confidence and don’t consider themselves capable of pursuing STEM careers.

So, even if they are high achievers in math or science, they may not consider STEM. It’s often an issue of self-efficacy. Past studies have shown that women who had more self-efficacy in math and science were more likely to want to pursue STEM-related careers. 

One way to encourage a more diverse workforce and improve self-efficacy is to have role models encourage students to get out of their comfort zone. Caring and encouraging adults, whether in the school setting or beyond, greatly impact the future planning of a student. 

Having a role model in the field helps students recognize the value of their skills beyond the classroom. Solberg emphasized the importance of students being able to see the value of their skills and how they can be applied in real-world situations. “We don’t want them in the classroom. We want them out in the world,” Solberg noted.

Conclusion

The technology sector is going through an unprecedented transformation. The skills needed to thrive in technology and STEM careers go beyond technical abilities. Employees need to excel in skills that machines can’t easily replicate.

A STEM career/job in the technology sector promises financial stability and the opportunity to be at the forefront of global change. These opportunities are driving many students to desire a role in the field.

To gain employment in the technology sector or other meaningful work, students need SEL-like skills. 

“… the skills they’re learning within STEM transfer so widely into so many different high wage, high demand careers that we do want to encourage, that they’re gathering those skill sets and seeing the value of it,” Solberg says.

Learn more about how Xello helps students develop the skills and self-knowledge that prepares them for the future of work.