What does tomorrow's workforce look like?

Where will the next generation of engineers come from? Technology backgrounds are as diverse as engineering disciplines. As manufacturers continue to employ automation to compensate for the lack of workers, a background in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) will be a valuable addition to any job candidate’s resume.

CERN, the builder of the large hadron collider, the world’s largest single machine, and Solvay, a Belgian science company, launched a three-year educational partnership to inspire young people to get involved in STEM and aspire to related careers.

This program will form part of the education portfolio of Science Gateway, CERN's flagship project for science education and outreach, due to open in summer 2023. “The Science Gateway will enable CERN to expand significantly its education and outreach offering for the general public, in particular the younger generations,” CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti said. “We will be able to share with everybody the fascination of exploring and learning how matter and the universe work, the advanced technologies we need to develop in order to build our ambitious instruments and their impact on society and how science can influence our daily life.”

The STEM program combines remote and onsite learning, allowing high school students to engage with the field of particle physics and explore its link to understanding the universe. Operating under the slogan “Discover your inner scientist: there are no limits to what you can explore,” the program includes hands-on online experiments intended to demonstrate that science is accessible to anyone, no matter their age or academic experience. Students also can explore scientific topics connected with CERN’s research and work on a research project in an authentic STEM workplace.

Also read: STEM starts in elementary school

The need for skilled engineers is only growing, with jobs in STEM disciplines expected to grow by more than 10% this decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This means more STEM professionals will be needed, and programs like this one will be key to encouraging young people to pursue these careers.

“As a center of scientific excellence and a cradle of technology and innovation, CERN is a source of inspiration for physicists and aspiring physicists around the world, no matter their age, gender or culture,” said Gianotti. “This partnership with Solvay will encourage young people to pursue careers in STEM, by giving them the chance to engage more deeply with the work we are doing at CERN and enjoy a unique learning experience that could profoundly shape their future careers.”

STEM education plays a crucial role in reinventing progress, said Solvay CEO Ilham Kadri. “It is by encouraging students’ enthusiasm for science and technology today that we can create the great researchers of the future,” she explained. “Through working with a leading science organization like CERN, which shares our passion for STEM education, we aim to inspire the next generation of scientists by giving them knowledge, confidence and hands-on experience in the exciting field of particle physics.”

For CERN, as the largest accelerator-based particle physics laboratory in the world, the program is a means to inspire and train future generations of scientists and engineers. Similarly, for Solvay, the partnership is new venture in the company’s Corporate Citizenship program, a key pillar of which focuses on fostering education.