OSPE - The Voice - Spring 2020 - 11

ADVOCACY IN ACTION

FROM STEM
TO STEAM:

AN INCLUSIVE WAY
FORWARD

n our competitive global economy, educators,
governments, policymakers, and industry leaders are
paying more and more attention to the importance
of STEM skills. As the pace of our current social and
economic environment rapidly accelerates, it requires
employers to adapt, innovate and shift to reflect these new
market demands.
Governments are also acutely aware of the growing complexity
of social and economic problems facing societies today. Climate
change, decaying infrastructure, growing inequities, and the rise
of disruptive technologies require governments to increasingly
rely on the expertise of scientists, technologists, engineers, and
mathematicians.
Recognizing this growing need for STEM skills, the Government
of Ontario has pledged a new K-12 Ontario STEM Education
Strategy that will enable the province to become a global leader
in STEM learning. At the federal level, the government has
recognized the importance of STEM skills by putting many
initiatives in place to include networks, career tools, science
fairs, and STEM competitions that motivate individuals to
pursue careers in this sector.
However, these shifts also pose a challenge to professionals.
Engineers are traditionally referred to for their technical
proficiency, as experts who possess the knowledge and knowhow to translate theory into practice. This is changing, as the
engineers of today require an additional set of cross-disciplinary
skills. In order to thrive, a thorough understanding of the social,
economic, and environmental implications of their designs is
necessary. As well, engineers must be ready to collaborate,
innovate, and search for creative solutions.
Engineers must be connected to their local culture and society
in order to serve it best. As the rise of technology places an
emphasis on user experience, and the workplace faces new
challenges of globalization, the labour market increases in
diversity and widens the scope of local culture. As such, engineers

must possess flexibility, inter-cultural competence, and an
understanding of how to work with diverse teams.
The need for an increasing array of professional skills
and tools has resulted in a shift from STEM to a focus
on STEAM-Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics. Arts has been included into the acronym
due to its ability to bring different professions, skills, and
abilities together. By valuing the importance of an arts
education, we place a premium on communication and
inter-personal skills, both which are a growing focus in
today's markets of diversity. At this intersection, engineers
will develop a better understanding of how their work
impacts society, which increases awareness of the need to
collaborate across disciplines to achieve holistic and long
term solutions to growing problems.
In a recent Toronto Star article, Mary Wells, P.Eng., Dean
of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the
University of Guelph wrote:
"The emphasis in engineering courses is often on
describing complex systems through mathematical and
physical concepts. What's often missing, however, is the
link between these engineering solutions and the impact
on humanity. As engineering education leaders, we need
to find a way to integrate social issues throughout our
engineering curriculum so that they are not seen as a side
note, but a pervasive challenge."
STEAM opens a path for engineers to participate in the
future labour market as well rounded professionals.
It allows engineers to develop empathy, social acuity,
and cross-disciplinary thinking that tackles problems
from multiple perspectives. By fostering collaboration,
inclusion, and diversity, the Arts places the engineering
profession at the forefront of society, creating a labour
force capable of leading the way.

Spring 2020 THE VOICE

OSPE - The Voice - Spring 2020

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