Many of you will know that STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The media frequently features stories about how we need more students studying STEM and that we need more STEM qualified workers. I don't disagree with this but potential students need to be aware of what kind of career awaits them if them if they study and become qualified in STEM.

If you are passionate about Mathematics and/or Science and want a career that involves using this knowledge directly on a daily basis, then the opportunities are not as plentiful as you might assume. There are not a lot of careers where you need to remember how to do Calculus or understand Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. That does not mean you should not aim for those careers but you should be aware that demand is limited. Some careers that involve using Mathematics and/or Science on a daily basis are:

• High School Mathematics or Science Teacher
• Academic / Researcher
• Scientist / Mathematician

In Australia, to be a high school mathematics or science teacher you will need to take one of the following paths:

• Bachelor of Teaching (4 years full time)
• Bachelors Degree in a Mathematics, Science or related field such as Engineering (3 years full time) and a Master of Teaching (2 years full time)

That is a 4 to 5 year commitment and you will probably need to be prepared to work in regional areas for at least the early part of your career especially if you want a a permanent position. Also if your passion is STEM, you may hard to motivate yourself to study the type of courses that are including in teaching degrees.

To be an Academic, Researcher, Scientist or Mathematician, you will need a PhD as a minimum. Most jobs are at Universities or government funded organisations such as the CSIRO. Competition can be fierce and you will probably need to relocate to find work.

There are other careers for which study of mathematics and/or science is a prequisite and beneficial but these skills are not often used directly on a daily basis. Some examples are:

• Civil / Mechanical / Electrical Engineer
• Data Scientist
• Statistician
• Software Engineer / Developer
• Systems / Network Engineer

Some possible reasons for why study of mathematics and/or science is required for these careers are:

• Mathematics and Science are prerequisites for the relevant university degrees.
• Mathematics and Science forms a significant part of the subject matter of the relevant university degrees.
• Study of Mathematics and Science enable understanding of the theory and concepts behind these disciplines.
• A Mathematics and Science background is required for people who initially train for these careers but subsequently want to do Masters and PhD degrees and become teachers, academics or researchers.
• Mathematics or Science ability is used as an indicator of a person's potential to succeed in these related areas.

Many engineering and technology related jobs do not require the practitioner to directly apply their knowledge or mathematics or science. Once technical solutions are devised, they can be re-implemented without re-doing or understanding the relevant mathematics or science. Solutions can be implemented using books, documented procedures, charts, tables, simple equations and software. Engineers often quickly progress to become managers rather than being technology experts. If you are passionate about technology and are looking to work in one of these fields, you need to be careful about what type of jobs you apply for. Try to make sure there will be sufficient technical challenges and future career prospects. Make sure you will have the opportunity to develop skills that will be in demand in the future.

For those of you who are passionate about mathematics and science, you should certainly pursue your goal and perhaps become a Teacher, Academic, Mathematician or Scientist. You just need to be realistic about what is required to get there and what opportunities are available. For those of you interested and proficient in mathematics and science, an engineering or technology related career is a great way to go. But don't imagine that you will be regularly using all that Calculus and Physics that you worked so hard to learn at university.

If you like STEM but do not want a career in teaching, academia or research then an engineering or information technology career may be the best option for you. Get a bachelors degree in computer science, information technology, science, mathematics or engineering. Make sure your degree covers the areas in which you are most interested e.g. Mathematics, Statistics, Software Development, Robotics, Electronics, Machine Learning and Data Science. Also make sure an honours program is available in case you change your mind and want to pursue a PhD and research career later.