The STEM Pipeline is Broken

[MooreteP]

Originally Posted by jwfoss

This right here is the number one reason while I have a strong interest in teaching, I remain in the industry as a manufacturing engineer. Years as in at least 5-10 years.

Justin Time:
Frustration. Burnout. Attrition. It's Time To Address The National Teacher Shortage

I left professional engineering to become a teacher 25 years ago.
50% pay cut. I still make half of what my former peers now earn.
I'm not complaining, I live in America, and have a more generous lifestyle than any of my ancestors could have imagined.

Teaching is a lot like engineering. You design, execute, and iterate. The project is never finished.
Rather than physical mechanisms, you are working with organic minds.
The raw materials aren't to spec and the customer is a manifold compilation of the student, parent, administration, community, state, nation, and planet.

The build season is 40 weeks. I started this morning at 6:30 am, 25 minutes for lunch, left at 4:00pm. I am now taking break from preparing for tomorrow at 9:00 pm to write this. Waking up at 4:00 am to finish my preparation.
Our team's season began last Monday. (Not even going to detail the time vampire that is FIRST. Not complaining either.)

I foolishly thought that becoming teacher would be easier than being an engineer.
I was so wrong.
Between the pressures of creating five engaging "dog & pony shows" with activities a day, assessing the work of all my students in a timely manner, meeting the standards set by the powers that be and the public to justify my work, and the low compensation rate, I am not surprised that many qualified engineers would say "No Thanks" to the prospect of becoming a teacher in STEM.

A difficult student of mine took the time last Friday during a football game to thank me for making them write down their data, draw a picture, formulas, and include units with all of their numbers. They said that Chemistry was a breeze because of what I made them do.

These students are going to pay for our retirement and can make the world an even better place.

TL;DR
Glad that I chose to become a teacher.
Engineers, please consider this profession.
You will be challenged but you won't be disappointed.