For Parents
Supporting Your Child in a STEM Career
After helping thousands of students launch STEM careers through our paid research assignments, we know what helps someone start and sustain a stable, satisfying career in the sciences. On this page, we want to share that with parents who have questions about how they can best help their child succeed in STEM.
AEOP Internships: What Parents Need to Know
1. You need to sign their application.
2. Help hold them accountable to deadlines.
3. AEOP offers a lot, even if your student isn’t chosen for an internship! Keep checking back for new opportunities.
Successful STEM Practitioners
What makes someone succeed in STEM? It’s not perfect grades or an Ivy League degree… it’s more about their skills, attitudes, and attributes.
Becoming a STEM professional involves more than acquiring STEM-specific knowledge and abilities. In fact, STEM employers are just as concerned with potential employees’ soft skills. This is where you as a parent, guardian, or teacher of someone interested in STEM come in. You don’t need to be a science teacher to support the development of vital soft skills and attributes in your children or dependents.
Here, you can view 6 soft skills that are essential to success in STEM. To learn more about the skills, select here.
Resilience
Resilience is paramount in STEM careers as it helps professionals navigate setbacks, learn from failures, and persist in challenging problem-solving.
Communication Skills
In STEM, effective communication is crucial in conveying complex concepts to diverse audiences, collaborating on intricate projects, and securing support.
Creativity
Creativity is pivotal in STEM careers, as underscored by a 2021 study ranking it as the fourth most essential soft skill for the field’s future success.
Curiosity
Curiosity is essential in STEM careers as it propels the quest for knowledge and drives scientific inquiry, playing a central role in discoveries and innovations.
Collaboration
Collaboration in STEM leads to innovative solutions, faster progress, and a broader perspective.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is indispensable in STEM careers, serving as the foundation for scientific inquiry and effective problem-solving.
Want to learn more about what makes someone a successful STEM practioner?
Myths & Realities of a STEM Career
Most people hold incorrect assumptions about what a career in STEM “should” look like. Many parents and guardians are surprised by the current realities and opportunities that await their children in STEM fields.
Click through a sample of myths and realities below, or dive deep into the current myths and realities by clicking here.
Myth or Reality?
Most Careers proceed along a straight pathMyth!
It’s common for both individuals and parents to feel pressured by the expectation of a clear, linear career path. We often worry when our children/dependents don’t have their entire career journey mapped out from an early age. However, the truth is that most career paths are anything but straightforward. Your child’s aspirations and interests can (and should!) evolve over time.
Want to learn about more myths and realities of your child’s STEM career?
Myth or Reality?
Failure and mistakes are to be avoided at all costs.Myth!
The fear of failure and the belief that mistakes should be avoided at all costs are myths that can hold individuals back from reaching their full potential. It’s important to recognize that failure is a natural part of life and can be a steppingstone to growth and success. Instead of avoiding mistakes, it’s often more productive to embrace them, learn from them, and use them as catalysts for personal and professional development.
Want to learn about more myths and realities of your child’s STEM career?
Myth or Reality?
People with diabilities can be very successful in STEM.This is true!
It’s absolutely a reality that people with all sorts of disabilities (physical, learning, etc.) can be incredibly successful in STEM fields. Success in STEM is not limited by physical or cognitive abilities, and many individuals with disabilities have not only excelled but also made significant contributions to these fields.
Want to learn about more myths and realities of your child’s STEM career?
AEOP Internships and Fellowships
AEOP Internships and Fellowships help you gain the skills and experience you need today to prepare for the STEM careers of tomorrow. As an intern or fellow, you will conduct cutting-edge research in a state-of-the-art facility alongside a professional STEM mentor.