When I was at high school, the subject I enjoyed most was science.
We had an excellent science master. Like many science teachers of that era, he looked a little like the absent-minded professor. His demonstrations occasionally went wrong, which only made the lessons more memorable. He had a wonderful ability to make science exciting and to open our minds to possibilities we had never considered.
In the end, however, I gravitated towards English. We had an equally brilliant English teacher and, after completing my compulsory National Service in the Navy, I joined South African Associated Newspapers as a cadet journalist.
Even then, I noticed something.
The people who were really “coining it” weren’t journalists. They were the programmers, systems analysts and computer specialists. Companies such as Van Zyl and Pritchard were constantly searching for talented people. If you had an aptitude for computers and mathematics, you could look forward to an exciting and well-paid career.
That was decades ago.
Today, the demand has become even greater.
Artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and advanced manufacturing are reshaping almost every industry. Yet an interesting article I recently read argued that we are still thinking about STEM in yesterday’s terms. The author suggested that we are mislabelling STEM because the definition has become far broader than most people realise.
I think the same applies in South Africa.
For many people, STEM still means science, technology, engineering and mathematics leading to a university degree.
That is no longer the whole story.
Today’s STEM world includes artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, cybersecurity, automation, renewable energy, drone technology, advanced manufacturing and many other technical careers that barely existed a generation ago. Vocational and technical education are every bit as important as traditional academic routes.
Some years ago, I became involved with a company that actively supported STEM initiatives. That gave me the opportunity to meet many of the people working in this field, including senior government officials. I sometimes came away with the impression that even those responsible for shaping policy didn’t fully appreciate just how rapidly technology was changing the nature of STEM itself.
South Africa has certainly made progress.
More learners are taking mathematics and science, and technical education is receiving greater recognition than it once did.
But I believe we’re still missing the bigger opportunity.
South Africa isn’t short of talented young people.
It’s short of opportunities.
For millions of youngsters, life can feel uncomfortably close to a dystopia. Poverty, unemployment, crime and struggling schools can make the future seem bleak. STEM alone will not transform that dystopia into a utopia, but it can provide a pathway out of poverty for thousands of talented young people in our cities, townships and the remotest rural communities.
There is another lesson we could learn.
Look at rugby.
Talent scouts travel the country looking for promising youngsters. Families willingly relocate so gifted players can attend schools with better coaching and facilities.
I know of one family that did exactly that. Their exceptionally talented 14-year-old son moved with his family to the Western Cape so he could receive specialised rugby coaching and schooling.
We applaud that commitment.
So why don’t we do something similar for STEM?
Why aren’t we identifying gifted young programmers, roboticists, engineers and innovators while they are still at school?
Why aren’t we creating the same pathways that exist for sporting talent?
If you’re reading this article on a smartphone or laptop, you’re already holding more computing power than entire research laboratories possessed only a few decades ago.
Technology isn’t coming.
It’s already here.
The challenge is no longer convincing young people that STEM matters.
The challenge is helping them understand that STEM has become far bigger, more creative and more exciting than most of us ever imagined.
South Africa’s future won’t depend only on producing more accountants, lawyers or politicians.
It will also depend on the young people who design the next generation of software, robots, medical technology, renewable energy systems and businesses that we cannot yet imagine.
The earlier we identify that talent and nurture it, the brighter South Africa’s future will be.
Perhaps what South Africa really needs are STEM scouts.
Just as rugby scouts travel the country looking for gifted young players, we should be searching every school, township and rural village for children with exceptional aptitude in mathematics, science, coding, robotics and engineering. Imagine the difference that could make to thousands of young lives—and to South Africa’s future.
Further reading
The article that prompted many of these thoughts is The Manufacturing Workforce Isn’t Missing—It’s Mislabeled. Although it focuses on manufacturing in the United States, its central argument applies equally well to South Africa: our understanding of STEM has not kept pace with technology.
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