STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
The 4th Industrial Revolution is upon us. It is no longer a future concept; it’s here. And with it, a lot a traditional jobs will be replaced by artificial intelligence (yes, the machines are taking over).
While it causes some concern to think that jobs your parents had might not exist when you leave school, the exciting part is that millions of new jobs will be created. Innovative, highly-rewarding careers that will only be open to those who have the education and skill set to fill them.
And Grade 9 is the perfect time to set your course to be among those qualified candidates.
It is estimated that by 2020, as many as 80% of all future jobs will require a STEM education, and the SA Government has recognized that it urgently needs to introduce programmes to encourage learners to take up the sciences and engineering. The future is bright for South Africa. However, for continued growth, it needs to bring more of its workforce into the 21st century and attend to their current lack of STEM skills.
It’s a sad fact that 60 per cent of the country’s unemployed don’t have a Grade 12 certificate and those seeking further education are gravitating towards business, economics and social science. With so few learners adopting maths, computing, engineering, health and natural sciences – the SA economy is left with a massive skills shortage in preparation for the shift to STEM careers.
Industry leaders are on the lookout for this new wave of school leavers. Be sure to be among them.
