2024-02-01 12:32:08
Early MINT education prevents tomorrow’s skills shortage. A prime example is the Fronius relief organization company kindergarten in Sattledt, Upper Austria.
Vienna (OTS) – Austria is heading towards a skills shortage of historic proportions. A key reason, in addition to demographic developments, is the lack of MINT training (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, technology), especially among women and girls. Educational research, business and industry agree that promoting MINT as early as possible makes a significant contribution to covering the shortage of skilled workers and can also offer women the prospect of a successful educational and professional career. Their demand is: MINT support must be an integral part of the learning offerings in elementary education institutions.
That the MINT job market boom, shows one Analysis of the Industrial Association (IV). An increase of 3.5 million additional MINT jobs in Europe is expected by 2035. But the shortage of skilled workers in the MINT sector is already glaring: the industry is already lacking around 40,000 MINT talents, and a further 60,000 MINT positions will need to be filled by 2030. To the Young innovative talent Securing tomorrow is one early and continuous STEM support decisive. “We live in a technology-oriented world, so MINT skills are increasingly in demand. Already every third vacancy in Austria can be assigned to the MINT area. If we manage to get our children excited regarding the STEM field at an early age, then we make these opportunities available to them. Our kindergartens become so Springboards into the future“, emphasizes IV expert Dr. Wolfgang Haidinger.
Early MINT support for better future opportunities
The earlier MINT funding begins, the better. “Studies show that promoting talents and interests between the ages of 0 and 5 has the greatest effect. If children are exposed to science and technology in an age-appropriate and playful way at a young age, it has been proven to strengthen their long-term interest in STEM and lead to a positive attitude and better understanding in later years,” explains Rebecca Janker, education expert and head of the children’s department , Youth, Family and Psychosocial Services at the Austrian Relief Organization. This means that children also benefit in terms of their educational, career and future opportunities.
Reduce inequalities, support girls in everyday life, at school and in kindergarten
A lot of research potential is being lost worldwide because there are too few highly qualified and well-trained women working in research, according to UNESCO. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the global proportion of women in research and development work is less than 30 percent. An important instrument for combating gender inequality in the sciences is the removal of obstacles for girls and women in the private environment as well as in the classroom and in the workplace.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11th is therefore intended to remind us of the crucial role that girls and women play in science and technology. “More and more countries are emphasizing the importance of science education from an early age. Also basic documents of elementary education in Austria, such as: B. the educational framework plan, emphasize the importance of early MINT education,” explains Janker.
MINT initiative of the Austrian Relief Organization
In 2023, the Austrian relief organization launched a comprehensive initiative on MINT in elementary education and in followingnoon care. With the specialist focus “Research. Discover. Inspire. The relief organization initiative around children and MINT” Since then, the aid organization has been implementing various measures to promote MINT. A specific training program, an online platform and learning posters support the 2,500 employees in the children’s and youth sector in integrating MINT topics into everyday educational life. “In this way we are strengthening our teachers and the children they look following,” says Janker. “For those with a positive attitude and experienced Self-efficacy Approaches to scientific or technical content is also demonstrably better communicated to children.” Other measures include the brochure and online platform “LIKE BRINGT’Sfor parents and carers, a social media campaign (including TikTok videos of experiments) and the roadshow “Hilfswerk on Tour” across Austria, which was completed in 2023.
MINT seal of approval for Fronius KinderLand, an aid organization company kindergarten
In the Fronius company kindergarten in Sattledt/Upper Austria, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology are omnipresent. Experiments and playful engagement with relevant topics are intended to overcome fear of MINT subjects at kindergarten age and to strengthen interest in technical topics – especially among girls. The kindergarten is run by the Upper Austrian relief organization. In 2023 he received the MINT seal of quality. Kindergarten director Anke Dopona explains the approach: “Dealing with MINT topics enables a valuable learning process and the children gain important experience. We incorporate the experiments directly into everyday life by encountering gravity when we drop cue balls or diving into the world of mathematics when we count objects. We bake bread together, grow cress, marvel at spiders under the magnifying glass or sort small parts with tweezers.”
Fronius KinderLand is one of currently 48 kindergartens in Austria (including three from the aid organization) that bear the MINT seal of quality. It is valid for three years and is awarded to educational institutions that use various measures to promote innovative and inspiring learning in the MINT area. “We want to arouse interest in natural sciences at an early age,” says Fronius Managing Director Elisabeth Engelbrechtsmüller-Strauß: “Mathematics is considered a fearful subject at school, and a technical profession is not considered attractive – and this is often only because appropriate support was missed from the start . We want to counteract this.”
In other kindergartens run by the charity, people are also aware of the importance of MINT. Offers such as research stations, sleuthing corners or experiments relating to math, computer science, technology and natural sciences invite little researchers to try out, discover and be amazed. “The MINT focus is very well received in our facilities and implemented with enthusiasm. The feedback from parents is also very positive,” says Rebecca Janker in conclusion.
About the aid organization
The Austrian Relief Organization, with its regional and sub-associations, is one of the largest non-profit providers of health, social and family services in Austria. In the elementary education and extracurricular areas, around 2,400 employees currently look following around 19,000 children and young people in more than 500 facilities.
www.hilfswerk.at | facebook.com/hilfswerk.at | instagram.com/hilfswerk.at | www.tiktok.com/@hilfswerk.at
Questions & Contact:
Relief organization Austria, federal office
Stomach. Barbara Tober
+43 1 4057500-222, Mobil: +43 676 8787 60207
barbara.tober@hilfswerk.at
www.hilfswerk.at
1706791015
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