The arrival of new technologies, changes in modes of production, digitalization and globalization have laid the foundations for the professional profile that companies are looking for and for which it is difficult to find prepared and qualified people.
We have the need to train new generations in the type of scientific-technical knowledge.STEM careers (acronym formed by the initials in English of the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) make up the profiles currently most sought after by companies.
Source: The Importance of STEM Careers to Make a Better Future for Our Society | Science Teaching (science-teaching.org)
At Aernnova we believe that part of our commitment to society is to motivate the citizens of the future so that we can jointly create a future in which professionals, companies, the economy and the world build an advanced, intelligent and caring society.
Our colleagues, Ricardo Díaz de Heredia (Offer Management and Technical Office at SCH) and Josune Prol (Commercial Technician at Aernnova Group), have participated in the STEM Conference held at the BEC in Barakaldo (Bilbao). During this event, the students were able to talk with the professionals invited to the event.
ANNnews: Josune, how did you prepare yourself for the Day?
Josune: There was an online meeting with the organizers where they explained to us what it would consist of and how it was going to work.
Basically they told us that we would be with different groups of students in 4th grade of Secondary School for 15 minutes at different tables of 5-6 students.
The first 5 minutes they would tell us about their favorite subjects, the high school they wanted to choose and their expectations for the future, the next 5 minutes we, the professionals would tell them about our experience in our studies and professional life and in the last 5 minutes there would be a question and answer session.
ANNnews: What inspiring message did you want to transmit?
Josune: The buzzword is “attitude” and I like it a lot because if you put attitude, whether it costs you more or less, you are more likely to achieve what you decide to do.
Some of them said they were lazy, others said they were afraid of not being able to do it, but there were also those who were clear about what they wanted to be.
ANNnews: How have the students embraced this event?
Josune: Very good. They are still very young and in the previous talks of the Lendakari (head of the Basque Country) and the minister of education they were very active. However, at the working tables there was a general positive attitude, they were attentive to what you told them and they were active asking questions.
ANNnews: What were the students interested in, and what concerns did they express?
Josune: The difficulty of making a technical career and whether it was worth the effort. On the other hand, they were interested in the grades I had at school and some even dared to ask about my salary.
ANNnews: Any questions that caught your attention?
Josune: One of the students commented that he/she wanted to be a barber but that he/she was aware that he/she was not going to have any job opportunities. This gave rise to the topic of choosing by vocation or by its professional possibilities.
In this particular case, I encouraged him/her to have a plan B in case his plan A did not work out. He/she was aware that his plan A could allow him/her, in terms of time, to do some other activity. He/she welcomed it.
ANNnews: What is your conclusion?
Josune: In the end, I’m sure that many of the things we told them they had heard from parents, relatives, educators, etc. However, I think it’s good that they hear opinions from other people outside their usual environment.
I also believe that by that age they already have their path marked out (regarding the choice of the baccalaureate).
In the case of women, they need references to encourage them to study a technical career, there were few who were interested or who were really attracted to any of them.
ANNnews: Ricardo, how did you prepare yourself for the Day?
Ricardo: We had no specific preparation, but we had an idea of what we were going to do. That’s why I went over the technical problems I have encountered and their solutions, the opportunities and decisions. All this thinking about using a language appropriate for this age group.
ANNnews: What inspiring message did you want to transmit?
Ricardo: Within the indecision, I tried to give them a message of encouragement, in the sense that they would end up finding something they like and even have a passion for. Many studies have more professional opportunities than they think, professions they probably don’t even know about. I encouraged them to take an interest in it, starting with the subjects/areas with which they feel the greatest affinity.
ANNnews: How have the students embraced this event?
Ricardo:
Generally quite good, although it is true that there were differences in terms of preparation for the event.
In general they were quite receptive.
ANNnews: What were the students interested in, and what concerns did they express?
Ricardo:
Mainly about my profession: what my job consists of, what Aernnova does… They found the aeronautical subject quite attractive and it aroused their curiosity.
They were very interested in learning about the branches that a technological career offers, its different applications and practical fields.
ANNnews: Any questions that caught your attention?
Ricardo: More than the questions, there were some comments about how they had become interested in certain professions or why they had decided to pursue this or that training. Some even talked about their family situations… Yes, in almost all their decisions the family weighed heavily.
ANNnews: What is your conclusion?
Ricardo: Academic guidance at that age (and earlier) is very important. Many of the kids were already very clear about their path, but most were hesitant or undecided. Anything that can help them is of great value to me and I’m sure most of them came to their own conclusions. I have two children of that age and this motivated me to participate. I have fond memories of the experience.
