Credit: BCIU
The Bucks County Intermediate Unit has announced a collaboration between public-private groups and educational centers which will focus on leveraging resources so all students in the region have access to robust STEM experiences.
The Bucks IU recently announced the creation of the STEM Ecosystem, which is a unique partnership between public and private institutions and Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery County school districts, libraries, Intermediate Units, post-secondary institutions, and environmental education centers.
“There are abundant opportunities available for careers in STEM fields, and we know that students interested in these fields deserve access to training programs and cooperatives that can help them develop needed skills and knowledge,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera said. “These regional ecosystems bring STEM education to communities across the commonwealth, providing students from all areas with the resources and tools they need to pursue an interest in science and technology.”
With over 300,000 STEM-related jobs in Pennsylvania by 2018, 17,000 vacant computer science jobs, and employers clamoring for a workforce that has problem-solving, communication, and computational thinking skills, the STEM Learning Ecosystem will help generate STEM pathways for students.
The ecosystem will bring together initiative coordinator Dr. Lindsey Sides, who also serves as the Bucks IU Coordinator of Teaching, Learning, & Nonpublic Services, as well as over 25 private and/or philanthropic partners, 15 post-secondary partners and support from the Pennsylvania Department of Education
According to the Bucks IU, the unit’s experience providing professional learning across the continuum of school professionals along with technical assistance from district to classroom level allows for an understanding of the opportunities within the region.
