Doctor, lawyer, engineer: a mantra that students seem to blindly abide by when choosing a major and career path.
However, what some students fail to realize is that there is more to life than science, math and making money.
While it’s undeniable that STEM majors are an invaluable part of ASU and future workforce fields, students should recognize that these majors aren't the only route to a successful career and steady income.
According to an article published by the TechRepublic, STEM jobs are not as readily available as most people may think. The article reported that WhatsApp, a popular messaging and calling app, was sold for $19 billion dollars but when the sale occurred it only had 55 employees.
In the current tech-savvy society, it seems as though everyone is encouraged to major in STEM. However, the pressing issue is that there simply is not enough positions for such a sought after field.
Brittany Ater, an ASU alumna and former assistant student recruiter at Barrett, the Honor's College, said “(in STEM there) was this expectation where you’re maybe more likely to get a job or you’re going to make more money.”
According to some studies, not everyone that majors in a STEM related field will make more money or land a specific job.
The New York Times reported that nearly 40 percent of students that go into engineering and science majors either fail or switch to another degree.
It’s crucial to encourage students to consider a range of options when it comes to selecting a major.
The STEM life is not cut out for everyone. The world is not entirely composed of people whose skills solely rely within science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“We can’t have an entire world of people that are just STEM majors and scientists,” Ater said. “We need teachers, we need artists, writers, all these different things. So I think it is definitely beneficial to have people studying in every area.”
Ater also mentioned that on ASU’s website there are career outlooks listed for every major. This tool can be utilized by students who are curious as to how a major can be applied to the future workforce.
ASU offers students a multitude of choices to major in. With such a large amount of potential majors, there is no reason a student should confine themselves to only a few fields that they feel pressured into.
It’s time for students to stop making STEM their one-stop choice for success and start looking into better suited opportunities.
Reach the reporter at dkodonne@asu.edu and follow @Devynnodonnell on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the authors’ and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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