As we prepare to launch a new series of Switch Lab Seminars Workshops, current events remind us that these are exciting times and that we’re uniquely situated to build STEM enrollment in U.S. schools. And we’ve recently become aware that we have the pandemic to thank for it.
A recent GoodNewsNetwork article noted a sudden resurgence towards education in the current generation of school kids. OnePoll survey conducted in the U.K. of children ages 11-17 shows that kids are increasingly interested in careers in STEM-path fields, such as science, medicine, and technology. The article makes the case that this is due to kids having their lives and education disrupted so prominently by COVID-19.
Many leading science and health figures have become popularly known there, just as Dr. Anthony Fauci has become well-known Stateside, perhaps more popular among many students than Tik-Tok, Instagram, and music stars of the day. Students are engaging more with the news and finding out the facts for themselves instead of allowing parents or friends to offer up partisan news deliveries. They are questioning, challenging, and learning.
What interests Switch Labs about this article is that although we’re not a field that helps students fight a pandemic, we are a science-based field dealing with emergent technology. We find quotes like this one to be enheartening: “The poll also found 68 percent of respondents think science is a cool subject—and 41 percent are now more interested in learning more about it.”
It’s a great time to be in a field that deals with new technology that thinks about the future of our society with relevant science in mind. We’ve spent the last decade opening young and old hearts and minds to hopeful possibilities. And, as you can see from these videos, we’re just getting started.
Our reusable EV Kit is an ideal project for any student interested in renewable energy, advanced technology, or automobile design. It teaches students how to work with their hands, solve problems, learn about systems, and gain experience in cutting-edge automotive technology. To learn more about how Switch Vehicles can benefit your school, contact us today.