Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Career-Oriented Mapping Program Assisting Students' Success

Purpose

The global demand for professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is increasing, yet countries like the Philippines face a shortage of skilled workers in these fields. To combat this, the Philippines has created specialized science high schools, such as the Philippine Science High School System, to nurture talented students. However, simply attending these schools doesn't guarantee a STEM career, as personal interests and guidance play significant roles in career choices.

To address this, Biñan City Science and Technology High School has launched the first structured STEM Career Guidance Program for incoming Grade 10 students in SY 2023-2024. The program aims to inspire students and equip them with the knowledge and confidence to explore STEM career paths, facilitating informed decisions about their futures.

Being an institution that is built to empower STEM enthusiasts in the city, STEM-COMPASS provides a map that will lead BiSci learners to STEM-oriented career paths. By empowering students to align their strengths with career opportunities, this program sets the stage for their success in the dynamic world of STEM.

Methodology

The study assessed the impact of the STEM-COMPASS using a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. Participants were evaluated before and after the program using surveys and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Despite the absence of a control group, this design aligned with the study’s goals, supported by the iterative Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model for program improvements.

Surveys measured students' career preferences and perceived readiness, analyzed using McNemar's test and the Wilcoxon-Signed Rank Test to identify significant changes. FGDs provided deeper insights into factors influencing career choices, analyzed through thematic analysis.

By combining quantitative survey results with qualitative FGD findings, the study delivered a comprehensive evaluation of STEM-COMPASS, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of its impact on the participants' career preferences and readiness.

Results

Career Preferences of the Participants Before and After STEM-COMPASS

Of the 55 students who initially preferred STEM, 50 remained in the STEM track, while 5 shifted to non-STEM after the program. Conversely, of the 49 participants who initially preferred non-STEM, 29 transitioned to STEM, while 20 retained their non-STEM preference. Overall, the total number of students who preferred STEM increased from 55 to 79, while those preferring non-STEM decreased from 49 to 25. These findings indicate a substantial shift in students' career preferences following their exposure to the STEM-COMPASS program. The observed increase in STEM-track selection suggests that the program has positively influenced students' interest in STEM-related careers.

Impact of STEM COMPASS on Participants' Preferences

A McNemar test was conducted to determine whether participation in the STEM-COMPASS program significantly influenced students' career preferences from the pretest to the posttest. Out of 104 students, 50 remained in the STEM category in both the pretest and posttest, while 20 remained in the non-STEM category. Additionally, 29 students who were initially categorized as non-STEM in the pretest shifted to STEM in the posttest, whereas 5 students who were initially in STEM moved to non-STEM.

The McNemar test, without continuity correction, was utilized in this study since the values of b, students who switched from STEM to non-STEM, and c students who switched from non-STEM to STEM were both greater than 25. It provides a more accurate estimation of association (Fagerland et al., 2013), given that the total sample size was 104 and the off-diagonal counts (b = 5, c = 29) were sufficiently large. The findings suggest that the STEM-COMPASS had a statistically significant impact on students' career preferences, as evidenced by the shift in classifications from non-STEM to STEM. The significant chi-square value, χ²(1) = 16.9, indicates that the program influenced students’ decisions regarding their academic track selection.

The result showed that the change in career preferences was statistically significant, χ²(1) = 16.9, p < .05. Since the p-value was below the conventional alpha level of .05, the null hypothesis was rejected. This suggests that participation in the STEM-COMPASS program was associated with a significant change in students' career preferences between the pretest and post-test.

Participants' Perceived Readiness Before and After the Program

A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was conducted to assess the change in the perceived readiness of the participants before and after the STEM-COMPASS. The test statistic W was calculated as 793.

The results revealed a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test measurements, with a z-score of -12.43 and a p-value less than 0.001. This indicates that the observed change in the participants’ perceived readiness to choose a career before and after the program is highly unlikely to have occurred by chance.

Overall Experience in STEM COMPASS

Qualitative findings from Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) provided deeper insights for the quantitative data. Students expressed that the program's interactive workshops, role-playing activities, and mentorship sessions were instrumental in clarifying misconceptions about STEM careers. Participants reported enhanced self-awareness of their strengths and interests, attributing this to the program’s tailored activities and testimonials from professionals with STEM-oriented career paths. Moreover, parental and family support components were frequently cited as a catalyst for improved confidence and support in their career planning process.

Discussion

The study investigated the effects of a STEM COMPASS on BCSTHS students, employing both quantitative (McNemar test and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test) and qualitative (FGDs) methods. Results showed a positive impact on students’ awareness and readiness to pursue STEM-related careers. Quantitative data confirmed significant improvements in career-related knowledge and preferences, while qualitative feedback underscored the importance of interactive and personalized elements in the program’s success. Overall, the findings highlight the program’s potential to address gaps in STEM career awareness and guidance.

Conclusion

The STEM-COMPASS successfully addressed critical gaps in career awareness and decision-making readiness among the students of BCSTHS. Its interactive and inclusive design underscores its potential as a model for similar initiatives aimed at preparing students for STEM careers.

The program’s success highlights the importance of innovative and collaborative approaches to career guidance, paving the way for a more informed and confident generation of STEM professionals.

Recommendation

To further enhance the effectiveness and impact of the STEM-COMPASS, several strategic recommendations are proposed. These focus on ensuring the program’s sustainability, fostering collaboration with key stakeholders, actively engaging parents, and continuously improving its framework based on feedback. By incorporating diverse and innovative approaches, the program can maximize its reach, relevance, and ability to guide students in making informed STEM career choices. The following recommendations provide a roadmap for achieving these goals.

Sustainability and Scalability: The school should consider institutionalizing the STEM-COMPASS to ensure its long-term availability and reach a broader student audience.
Enhanced Collaboration: Future iterations of the program should strengthen partnerships with STEM professionals and organizations to provide real-world exposure and networking opportunities for students.
Parental Engagement: Schools should develop structured activities to involve parents more actively in their children’s career planning process as they influence their children more in terms of their career preferences.
Continuous Monitoring: Implement regular assessments to track the program’s ongoing impact and refine its components based on student and stakeholder feedback.
Diverse Approaches: Explore additional career guidance strategies, such as integrating digital tools and platforms, to make STEM COMPASS more engaging and accessible for students.