Organizers aim to help address the growing STEM workforce gap
- WHAT – 150 high school students visit 14 leading STEM employers
- WHEN – Thursday, May 16 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Opening remarks from Berkeley Mayor Jesse ArreguÃn, Emeryville Mayor Ally Medina, and Rich Robbins of Wareham Development.
- WHERE – 6121 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA
- WHO – Institute for STEM Education at Cal State East Bay, Alameda County Workforce Development Board, Bayer, City of Berkeley, City of Emeryville, Dynavax, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, Port of Oakland, Wareham Development—and leading East Bay STEM employers
Emeryville, CA (May 16, 2019) – More than 150 students from high schools in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties will gather for the eighth annual East Bay STEM Career Awareness Day. Industry, academia, and local government have joined forces to inspire young people from under-served communities to pursue science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) majors at community and four-year colleges.
Each student will get a first-hand look at a local STEM company, and will spend the day with a wide range of hands-on science and innovation activities. More than 75 STEM professionals will serve as career mentors for the day, and college counselors will offer guidance on classes and skills needed to pursue STEM majors, as well as financial aid.
Organizers aim to help address the growing STEM workforce gap. While California ranks first in the nation in the total number of entry-level STEM positions available, the state is underperforming in the rate of bachelor’s degree completions in popular STEM fields. California ranks 38th in computer science and 37th in engineering.[1]
East Bay STEM Career Awareness Day is designed to inspire high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields which boast strong job prospects and offer pay that is, on average, 26% more than non-STEM jobs.
Companies taking part in hosting site tours include leading research enterprises like Bayer, Zymergen, Nano Precision Medical, Zogenix, Stanford Medical Center, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Additional organizations who are solving some of the biggest challenges we face are also participating: California Coastal Commission, JBEI, Sepion Technologies, Dynavax, and Aduro Biotech.
This is the 8th Annual STEM Career Awareness Day which springs from a collaboration between Bayer and the City of Berkeley and has grown to include leadership from the Institute for STEM Education at CSU East Bay, Wareham Development, and the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, and the Alameda County Workforce Investment Board. It is part of a larger regional effort to connect underserved youth with growing STEM workforce opportunities in the area.
Wareham Development, host for this year’s East Bay STEM Career Awareness Day, has helped to shape the Bay Area with real estate encompassing more than 4.5 million square feet of space with award-winning architecture, spectacular landscaping, and tenant-friendly amenities. They are committed to the economic and environmental vitality of the communities where they do business, and are dedicated to supporting students in neighboring districts. www.warehamdevelopment.com
Bayer is one of the largest biotech employers in the Bay Area and a leader in the research, development and manufacturing of specialty pharmaceutical therapies that improve human health. Bayer’s presence on the U.S. West Coast includes a manufacturing and development facility in Berkeley and the West Coast Innovation Center in San Francisco Mission Bay. www.bayer.com
East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) is the regional voice for strengthening our economy, building our workforce and enhancing our quality of life. As a membership organization serving Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, East Bay EDA represents a broad network of business, government and civic leaders that connect communities and businesses to regional, state and national resources. www.EastBayEDA.org
Institute for STEM Education at California State University, East Bay advances STEM teaching and learning in alignment with the rapidly changing needs in STEM fields and aims to help all students acquire the STEM knowledge required for decision making in their daily lives. www.instituteforstemed.comÂ
[1] Byrd, Daniel, Ph.D., and Rob Shorette, Ph.D. “Needed: Sy(STEM)ic Response.” 14 June 2016. Web. 17 Apr. 2017. (http://collegecampaign.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2016-SySTEMic-Response-Full-Report.pdf)
