Disrupting the Status Quo: Using -Ships to Assist Student Navigation of STEM Pathways

This article invokes a maritime call to educators and STEM community members, communicating the urgent need for metaphorical waterways as pathways for young people to navigate various -ships (apprenticeships, internships, mentorship, and partnerships) to improve access to future careers in STEM. We call on all education and community members to embrace the concept of inclusive and accessible pathways rather than a restrictive pipeline mindset in designing STEM education, mentorship, and apprenticeship programs. Educators, researchers, policymakers, and STEM community partners can embed experiential learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom through career exploration apprenticeships and internships. The authors offer recommendations for school, industry, and organizational partnerships to maximize student success further and prepare them for STEM careers. Educators and STEM community members can collectively leverage resources designed for students to align the classroom curriculum with high-demand skills and long-term job-producing trajectories. Advancing policies to explore STEM in mutually beneficial and culturally relevant ways for current and future educators acts as a tributary that feeds into a larger river. Exemplifying STEM pathways, the confluence of -ships are intentionally redesigned to advance and support STEM interests for learners underrepresented in STEM.