(ASET)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

science, tech, engineering and math

STEM camp series in Red Deer aims to address skills shortage

May 10, 2023 | 5:00 PM

A new camp series all about STEM — or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — was held at Red Deer Polytechnic this month.

On May 3 & 10, the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) hosted junior high and high school students looking for post-secondary career opportunities.

Each camp involved more than a dozen students from Wolf Creek Public Schools, including from Bentley School, Alix-MAC School, Lacombe Outreach School, Eckville Junior/Senior High School, Rimbey Junior Senior High School, and École Secondaire Lacombe Composite High School.

Students participated in workshops familiarizing them with what it’s like to work as an electrical engineering technologist and mechanical engineering technologist, with the chance to build an unassembled remote control car.

Organizers say the camps hope to address a nationally recognized STEM skills shortage.

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“Given the economic realities outlined in the C.D. Howe Institute and Statistics Canada reports, there are compelling reasons for ASET to broaden its junior high and high school outreach and give youth practical exposure to careers in engineering technology. We are pleased to bring that outreach in the form of the STEM Camp Series to Red Deer,” said ASET CEO Barry Cavanaugh.

(ASET)

“The Camp Series opens a window to a whole new world of post-secondary possibilities, and encourages youth to develop valuable skills that will be in demand for years to come.”

According to two recent studies, including one by the C.D. Howe Institute, the gap in STEM skills is due to an aging population and rapid digitization across the economy — a reality further intensified, they say, by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two recommendations coming from said report are to increase STEM enrolment and raise student performance in STEM subjects.

According to ASET’s 2021 Salary Survey, electrical engineering technologists and mechanical engineering technologists starting their careers as technologists-in-training (TTs) command average annual salaries of approximately $68,000 and $61,000, respectively.

TTs are graduates of polytechnics/technical colleges, have engineering technology diplomas, and are registered with ASET and in the process of accumulating the necessary field experience to earn their designations as certified engineering technologists (CETs).

In between workshops, students learned about the difference between the engineering technology and engineering professions, and the many disciplines and occupations that exist within engineering technology.

A report by Statistics Canada in April 2022 about 2021 Census results revealed that retirement is nearing for one-in-five Canadians, a fact likely to result in labour shortages and challenges for Canadian companies and businesses.

It also found Alberta is one of three provinces where children under 15 still outnumber people 65 and older.