For many students, back-to-school means getting back in the science lab, and that's a good thing, says science outreach organization Let's Talk Science.
A report it released in June with Amgen Canada revealed that creating a large pool of science-based talent is crucial to keeping Canada competitive and Canadians employed.
The report revealed that while Canadian students perform well in national and international tests, there is a huge drop-off in the uptake of science and math courses once they are no longer compulsory, usually after grade 10, and the proportion of students studying these courses in colleges and universities remains flat.
Given our needs as a nation - from filling employment shortages, being more innovative, and growing as a knowledge economy - more needs to be done to attract and retain students in science programs from high school right through to post-secondary if we are to fill the jobs of the future.
"Some degree of learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) will be essential for many jobs that will be in great demand in the coming years," says Karen Burke, Ph.D., director, regulatory affairs, Amgen Canada and member of the expert panel that helped analyze the report's data. "As other nations put greater focus on these areas of learning, Canada cannot afford to be left behind."
Spotlight on Science Learning: A benchmark of Canadian talent is a first-of-its-kind look at the key benchmarks of STEM learning, starting in elementary and secondary school, moving on through post-secondary education and going into the workforce.
The report identifies a core list of 11 benchmarks that need to be tracked in order to properly monitor Canadian progress in STEM learning. The key indicators, identified and analyzed by an expert panel of knowledgeable and influential members of the science and education communities, include youth attitudes, student performance, participation in optional high school courses, enrolment in and graduation from post-secondary programs at all levels, apprenticeships, job forecasts and employment shortages.
