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End of the road? The career intentions of under-represented STEM students in higher education

Title: End of the road? The career intentions of under-represented STEM students in higher education
Authors: Wong, B
Chiu, Y-LT
Murray, OM
Horsburgh, J
Item Type: Journal Article
Abstract: Background The analogy of the leaky pipeline has been used to describe STEM education, with lower student diversity from compulsory to post-compulsory education and beyond. Although extensive research has explored the views and experiences of school-aged children about STEM, fewer studies have examined the career intentions of STEM students at university, especially those from under-represented backgrounds (e.g., racial/ethnic minority, women and working class students). This paper draws on a large qualitative study that interviewed 110 under-represented STEM undergraduates in the UK. We focus on students’ STEM career intentions and the likely directions of their post-degree trajectories, drawing on the lenses of science identity and Social Cognitive Career Theory. Results Three pathways were identified. The first group plans to pursue a career in or from STEM. While social inequalities may persist, the potential impact of these challenges may be neutralised by the personal drive and passion of STEM career-oriented students, who seem committed to drive into an STEM future. The second group stated intentions for non-STEM-related careers, leaving the STEM pipeline. The reasons students gave for their imminent departure from STEM are the better financial reward on offer in some non-STEM sectors, especially in finance and business, as well as wider social inequalities and stereotypes. The third group was undecided, those who are uncertain or unclear about their futures. Students described a general lack of direction or clear career pathway, from a complete lack of career ideas to an overload of options. Conclusions We conclude with a reminder that the STEM pipeline is far from secured or equitable, despite apparent progress in participation and representation. We reiterate the importance of fostering a diverse, inclusive and supportive learning environment that maximises the participation, strengths and potential of all students, especially those from under-represented backgrounds. While it is not uncommon for STEM students to pursue careers outside of STEM, we need to be wary that those who exit the STEM pipeline are not forced off the road by social inequalities and exclusions.
Issue Date: 30-Jul-2022
Date of Acceptance: 16-Jul-2022
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/99927
DOI: 10.1186/s40594-022-00366-8
ISSN: 2196-7822
Publisher: SpringerOpen
Start Page: 1
End Page: 12
Journal / Book Title: International Journal of STEM Education
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Keywords: Social Sciences
Education & Educational Research
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Identity
Career aspiration
Under-represented groups
Gender
Ethnicity
Social class
WORK PLACEMENTS
BLACK-WOMEN
COLOR
UNDERGRADUATE
EXPERIENCES
IDENTITY
SCIENCE
INTERESTS
CHOICE
GOALS
Career aspiration
Ethnicity
Gender
Identity
Social class
Under-represented groups
Social Sciences
Education & Educational Research
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Identity
Career aspiration
Under-represented groups
Gender
Ethnicity
Social class
WORK PLACEMENTS
BLACK-WOMEN
COLOR
UNDERGRADUATE
EXPERIENCES
IDENTITY
SCIENCE
INTERESTS
CHOICE
GOALS
1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
1303 Specialist Studies in Education
Publication Status: Published
Article Number: ARTN 51
Online Publication Date: 2022-07-30
Appears in Collections:Central Faculty



This item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons