A STEM profession isn’t something I put a lot of thought into early on in my own career. It wasn’t something I thought I really would end up doing for a living either. However, after almost 7 years working in the power industry and 4 years working with various electrical grid system operations in business development, I think about it all the time. With so many new career opportunities that didn’t even exist a decade ago, including jobs I might not have even been able to picture, the importance of considering STEM roles early on is clear.
I’m also surprised by how quickly digital transformation has not only taken the power industry by storm, but all technical industries. It certainly is an exciting time to be in the mix of it all. Technology is constantly pushing us all forward, and with that, we are challenged to create new solutions and find new answers. It is important to celebrate the options that are available now in STEM roles.
I am most grateful for the vast amount of opportunities there are to be involved in technical fields without needing to be a “technical” person. I have the chance to work with my clients as their partner to help promote different strategies across a technical workforce and through process improvement. I engage with my clients to develop effective strategies and solutions that show measurable improvements in the way they operate and maintain workforce conditions and worker knowledge and safety. I believe in what we do—it helps me to better support my clients’ growth, and it empowers me as well.
The projects that I am involved in are always unique; they present new challenges for a digital strategy and, oftentimes, an overall transformation, whether it is about their people, processes, or technologies. The workforce is being transformed as well; there are so many different approaches, tools, resources, and modalities for change management in technical industries. Opportunities to learn and grow abound in the STEM fields—it is exciting to be a part of it.
Happy National STEM Day!
About the Authors
