An extensive study in 2015, surveying 24,000 students, showed that occupational intentions change dramatically between the 9th and 11th grade and that the relationship between STEM intention and motivation is highly time-sensitive (Mangu et al. 2006) the junior high school years are typically ages 12–14 years. However, the positive attitudes towards science identified in youth age 10 sharply declines by age 14 (Murphy and Beggs 2005 Tai et al. A key predictor of STEM career interest at the end of high school is interest at the start of high school (Sadler et al.

Students’ career interest and their preferred future career activities will also affect their intention of pursuing a STEM career. Indeed, interventions have shown that equipping students with STEM career knowledge early increases their motivation to take more science and mathematics courses in high school (Harackiewicz et al. Consequently, student interest in a particular STEM career will wane, which will negatively influence their desire to participate in activities that serve to increase STEM career knowledge and awareness. Without adequate knowledge, there is a risk that students will dismiss a STEM-based career path as a potential option for their future. The level of STEM career knowledge an individual has will directly affect one’s intentions of pursuing a STEM career in the future (Compeau 2016 Nugent et al. STEM career knowledge, defined as a student’s familiarity with a particular STEM career, varies considerably based on the school’s STEM career guidance. Globally, youth vary considerably in their level of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career knowledge, their career interests, and their intentions of pursuing a STEM career. Exposure of students to STEM careers can enhance their interest in pursuing careers involving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our data thus support the need to improve access to knowledge to facilitate students’ understanding of STEM careers and the nature of STEM work. Furthermore, students with low MSE have a declining interest in STEM careers. The results of this study show that students in middle school have a limited STEM career knowledge with respect to subject requirements and with respect to what sort of activities these careers involve. Students with greater interest in technical and scientific skills were also more likely to consider a STEM career than those who preferred career activities that involved practical, productive, and concrete activities. Furthermore, students with higher MSE and STEM career knowledge were more likely to choose a STEM career. Also, students with higher MSE were more knowledgeable about STEM career requirements. ResultsĪnalysis revealed that while older students had more knowledge about mathematics/science requirements for STEM careers, this knowledge was lacking overall. Also explored were their mathematics self-efficacy (MSE), their future career interests, their preferences for particular career activities, and their likelihood to pursue a STEM career. A sample of 1448 students in grades 7 and 9 was drawn from public schools in Atlantic Canada to explore students’ knowledge of science and mathematics requirements for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.

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