Buffalo Public School students are being encouraged to consider future careers in STEM. WBFO'S Focus on Education reporter Eileen Buckley says higher education continues collaborating with the local school community.
"My name is Grace Nsabimana. I have engaged in science for two years," said the 8th grade Waterfront student. She was among three other students that were winners in the Student Science Olympiad.
They're an example of engaging students in earlier grades in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"In the advanced manufacturing fields over the next few years, more than 17,000 new jobs will be created," said Mayor Brown.
Higher education leaders from the University at Buffalo, ECC and Buffalo State and appeared along side Mayor Byron Brown Thursday at the Waterfront School, explaining that there will be future careers life science and advanced manufacturing in the region.
"In the advanced manufacturing fields over the next few years, more than 17,000 new jobs will be created," said Mayor Brown.
But what kind of jobs can students consider in the STEM field. ECC President Jack Quinn described high tech manufacturing.
"We move into our Nanotechnology. We've got relationships with also with some of the local power companies -- National Grid, as well as Fuel Gas where we do a one-year certificate program and the graduates -- the young men and women -- go into work right away," stated Quinn.
UB President Satish Tripathi noted the jobs are 'unlimited'. "When you are really curious, you are trying to find out why things happen, the way things happen, and that gives you a chance to really develop new technologies and science and so on," said Tripahti.
Buffalo State College President Katherine Conway Turner also injected that teachers will be needed in the future to teach STEM.
"That we also are building the next generation of science teachers, and so some of these wonderful scientists will also be in the classroom teaching our young people to love science yet for another generation," said Conway Turner.
A city-wide science week begins Saturday, March 14th featuring feature higher education and the local school community engaging in STEM together.