A Critical Exploration of Assumptions Underlying STEM Career Development

Significant resources have been invested by multiple entities and institutions into exposing more students and adults to science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. These efforts have coalesced into a major educational and career development movement within the past few decades. In this article, we present a critical analysis of the STEM movement that seeks to inform dialogue and debate regarding the nature and potential impacts of STEM career development. The article identifies the inherent assumptions about equity, self-determination, meaning, and purpose that underlie the STEM movement, while also acknowledging its many important positive contributions. The potential unintended consequences of STEM interventions and programs as well as the social messaging that accompanies these efforts are reviewed. Future directions for research, practice, and public policy that are informed by this critical analysis conclude this article.