STEM Education Jobs in Texas

If you are old enough to remember drive-in movie theaters and full-service gas stations, where the attendant not only pumped your gas but checked your oil, then you might have been taught the basis of a good education were the "Three R's: Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic."

Fast forward to the 21st century where we all pump our own gas and "drive-in movies" are what's being played in the backseat on your kids iphones. And, those tried and true "Three R's" have been replaced by an emphasis on STEM -- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics -- as the focus for American education.

The National Science Foundation, which has helped lead the charge for schools to prepare their students for future careers in STEM by ramping up their skill set, put it this way... "In the 21st century, scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as we face the benefits and challenges of both globalization and a knowledge-based economy. To succeed in this new information-based and highly technological society, students need to develop their capabilities in STEM to levels much beyond what was considered acceptable in the past."

What is STEM Education?

The definition of STEM education is a moving target because of the rapid pace of technology in our everyday lives.

Some of the core STEM classes will be familiar no matter what century you went to school, such  as science basics like biology and chemistry. But other fields are just emerging, such as nanotechnology and robotics. And, there will be other fields to teach within 10 years that we haven't even heard of today.

To get snapshot of what STEM education can encompass, we looked to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement which has a list of STEM disciplines it considers when looking at the applications of foreigners who want to work in our country. Some of the topics covered:  

• Science: Physics, chemistry, biology, psychology, biochemistry, electronics, astrophysics, astronomy, nuclear physics, neurobiology, biomechanics, bioinformatics, atmospheric sciences.
• Technology: Computer science, computational science, robotics, information science, information technology, optics, nanotechnology, software engineering.
• Engineering: Computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, civil engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, acoustical engineering, geographic information systems.
• Mathematics: Mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, mathematical biology. 

That's just a trimmed down list of possible STEM education courses as stemdegreelist.com lists 415 total, everything from agroecology and sustainable agriculture to zoology/animal biology. 

Why is STEM Education Important

STEM education is so important because a country that prides itself on technological breakthrough from the telephone to automobile to the television to the personal computer has recently been losing ground in training students for the future of things to come.

An article from Education Week in April said: "It's become a well-known fact that most high school students are woefully unprepared for careers in science, technology, engineering, and math."

We wish we could say that assessment is wrong. But the numbers don't lie, and they are troubling:

• The United States placed 38th out of 71 developed and developing countries in math in the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) which measures math and science literacy around the world every three years.
• In that same PISA survey, the U.S. placed 24th in science. 
• When ranked head-to-head with members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. was 30 out of 35 in math and 19th in science.
• Even more shocking, in 2015 math scores for American fourth and eight graders fell in the National Assessment of Educational Progress for the first time since 1990.

What is the Outlook for STEM Education Jobs in Texas?

In Texas, the demand for STEM educators is greater than available teachers which has created hiring opportunities for those career changers from STEM fields looking to move into teaching. 

The demand for STEM educators in Texas is tied directly to the rise of student interest in STEM subjects. The Houston Chronicle reported that "of the 30 valedictorians and salutatorians who graduated from Fort Bend County's two largest schools districts ... nearly two-thirds of them were young women intending to purse a career in a STEM field."

While traditionally classroom experience is prized in recruiting new teachers in Texas, those with real world experience and applicable knowledge in STEM subjects are highly sought after. Some school districts are offering incentives or higher salaries to those that can fill STEM classroom spots.

How to Become a STEM Teacher

The state of Texas has added requirements to ensure that teaching candidates moving into education from technical backgrounds have the necessary knowledge in their STEM subject by passing a content area test,  as well as have the basic tools to take on the important role of teacher by passing a PPR (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities) test.

The good news is that you don't need a degree in education. But, a college degree in any field with at least a 2.5 GPA will get you started in an Alternative Certification Program that will prepare you for the classroom with a combination of field-based, in-classroom and on-line instruction.

When you complete your Alternative Certification Program, you will be that well-rounded teacher candidate that the state of Texas is seeking... knowledgeable with real-world experience in a STEM subject and the backing of a quality teacher training program that will give you confidence as you move into the classroom.