STEM Preparedness

The Future of Education is Now

STEM preparedness is critical to our future as a nation and especially important for St. Louis. In America in 2018, an estimated 2.4 million STEM jobs in 74 different occupations will go unfilled. St. Louis is a hub for international and national companies that have this need – the Berges Family Foundation strongly supports STEM education to ensure we employ our own communities and keep attracting companies to our area.

We want to set the pace for filling STEM jobs while giving our youth an invaluable education, an economic advantage, and job security while building strong communities. Won’t you join us in helping our youth succeed and secure our city’s future?

St. Louis STEM Opportunities

There has been a lot of buzz in the educational world about the importance and focus of STEM on the future of America. When you look at the St. Louis area, we have traditionally fallen below the national average for STEM education and the ability to fill STEM-related jobs. The Berges Family Foundation is focused on taking St. Louis from a below-average STEM ranking to a STEM model of excellence.

Through our active support of STEM-related schools and organizations, we have witnessed first-hand the incredible benefits of STEM education in St. Louis area at-risk children as young as sixth grade. We see how our future generations get really excited and feel encouraged because they are learning in a blended environment that shows how these curriculums apply to everyday life.

Local STEM Organizations

A few of the STEM schools and organizations we support include Marian Middle School, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls, Ranken Technical College, and the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri. We see the incredible affect STEM has had on youth who otherwise might not feel they have a bright future. And contrary to how it sounds, STEM includes a wide array of careers that appeal to all ages, races, sexes, and abilities.

“92% of Marian Girls name a STEM-related career as one of their top career choices, including music producer, veterinarian, fashion design, architect, marine biologist, computer engineer, computer gaming, paramedic, farmer, pediatrician, plastic surgeon, photographer, zoologist, neurosurgeon, cardiac surgeon, entrepreneur, obstetrician/gynecologist, film editor, forensic psychologist, federal agent nuclear material courier, nurse, and occupational therapist, among others.”

STEM Statistics

According to Pew Research Center, as of January 2018, STEM workers enjoy a pay advantage compared with non-STEM workers with similar levels of education. Among those with some college education, the typical full-time STEM worker earns $54,745–87,570 while a similarly educated non-STEM worker earns $40,505. Other sources’ research and data state:

• Between 2017 and 2027, the number of STEM jobs will grow 13 percent. Computing, engineering, and advanced manufacturing will lead the way.
• A college degree is not required to be employed in a STEM job. In fact, 35% of STEM workers do not have a bachelor’s degree.
• 6.7 million of the 9 million healthcare practitioners and technicians are women.
• Women are vastly underrepresented in STEM. Girls typically gain interest in STEM at age 11, but then lose interest at 15. The combination of social factors and lack of access can play a part.
• African-American and Latino workers now represent 29% of the general workforce but just 16% of the advanced manufacturing workforce, 15% of the computing workforce, and 12% of the engineering workforce.
• The field of cloud computing alone created 1.7 million jobs between 2011-2015.

STEM for a Prosperous Future

By supporting STEM education, especially among young women, we give them the courage to stand up for themselves when they feel pressured by peers to go astray and foster change in those around them who see how much better their lives can be with the right education. Providing STEM education options changes families, neighborhoods, and entire communities; we are empowering our youth to have prosperous, self-sustaining economic futures and the confidence to go where others have not gone before.

Help Our Youth Succeed

We want to set the pace for filling STEM jobs while giving our under-served youth an invaluable education, an economic advantage, and job security while building strong communities. We want to make St. Louis a leading city with unlimited opportunity. Won’t you join us in helping change the lives of our at-risk youth and secure our city’s future?