I had the opportunity to go back to Medway High School, my alma mater, and speak with students about careers in STEM, particularly with Engineering. As a recruiter in the engineering space, I see the high demand for talent and the lack of candidates with the right skills.
With the time to fill jobs taking longer and the talent market getting tighter and tighter, we need to start to develop the next generation of engineers. Does your company have a STEM strategy? Here are 5 tips to get started.
- Participate at high school STEM events
We have recently had an opportunity to participate in several of these events. Generating interest at an early stage is key. The chance to share the cutting-edge work that the STEM field offers can go a long way in branding your company.
Many schools now have Robotics clubs, Science clubs, Medical Device groups, Engineering Demo days, and other clubs, competitions, and events. Participating as a speaker or a sponsor is a great chance to connect with the future of STEM.
- Hire Interns and Co-ops
If you have the ability to hire interns, co-ops, or summer help, bringing in college or high schools students who are hungry to learn not only helps develop future engineers, but can give your company an easy future hire.
If you need help shaping your internship program, DAVIS can help!
- College events and competitions
More colleges are offering competitions and events geared towards engineering, science, and technology. Partnering with, or sponsoring these can give you a great pipeline of candidates after graduation.
- Shadow days
Both high schools and colleges love the opportunity to partner with companies. If there is a chance to participate in a Shadowing Day or give a tour to a class, you can easily excite students and develop the relationships to lead into interns and hires down the road.
- Marketing
Partnering with your marketing team to create a company brand targeted towards the next generation is critical. This group has embraced social media, so being able to generate constant content on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook goes a long way to building interest.
Contact us if you would like a consultation on your STEM strategy.
