STEM is top of mind as we reach the beginning of another school year. With students returning to classrooms, poised to spend another semester learning and growing, it’s a good time to consider the impact of Solar Energy on STEM education, and the potential to pursue a STEM career through a passion for sustainable energy generation. Solar energy is a critical component of our environmental health, and as students discover their interests and learn more about science and technology, solar is an industry full of opportunity for those who are interested!
The acronym STEM, or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, is a term used to refer to a series of connected disciplines. It is most often used to reference academic subjects, but also can be used to denote industries related to these fields.
Solar for Students
All academic disciplines have value and merit, but STEM studies are of special interest to a future that is increasingly tech focused and engineering driven. The federal government has a vested interest in ensuring that STEM fields remain populated with skilled and dedicated individuals, which is why so much of education policy is rooted in supporting STEM initiatives.
For students with an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math, solar holds the potential for fascinating exploration. The solar panels of tomorrow will likely be designed by a student in a STEM focused program today, and already we are seeing the results of experimentation in solar technology. Add to that the proximity of solar technology to space exploration, and solar is a STEM powerhouse, with the potential to push students to innovate and explore their environment.
STEM and the Solar Industry
The solar STEM experience for students is a natural pipeline into the solar industry, and for those looking for a STEM oriented career, there is endless opportunity in solar. Once again, investment from the federal government is an incredible driver of potential, as the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act has served to create tons of career opportunities in the industry.
For those interested in designing and maintaining solar installations, a STEM background will serve them well. Installation teams are always in need of skilled technicians, and who knows, you may end up working on a solar system out in our very own solar system! You’ll want to look for an organization with core values aligned with the spirit of STEM – tech focused, sustainably designed, with an emphasis on service and longevity.
Hope for the Future
There is quite a bit of crossover between STEM and the solar industry, and any student who is interested in technology should consider a solar career, but perhaps the most important unifying element between the two is this: a shared hope for the future. As students return to school and begin once again to develop the skills and knowledge they’ll need to navigate the world and find success for themselves, their work is predicated on a collective hope for a brighter future. Solar lives and breathes this same hope, and the people who work in solar tech every day do so to help bring about a future powered by clean, renewable energy.
We often say that solar is an investment in the future, and that is never more evident than when considering the hard work of students in STEM, training to take their place in the world and contribute to its betterment. For many of us, this is the reason we come to work, and that passion is right at home among STEM students. This is why solar energy is such a good fit within the STEM curriculum and industry at large. They go hand in hand because they are both rooted in the same forward thinking philosophy.
If you’d like to make an investment in the future, and learn more about how the science and technology of solar can make an impact on your life, schedule a free consultation today.
