Solving for the Next Generation's STEM Dilemma: Nurturing the Energy and Desire to Learn at Goodwood

The STEM skill gap in youth isn't a new issue. For decades, children—especially girls and children of color—have had limited chances to explore STEM's fascinating concepts. Youth who are exposed to STEM are five times more likely to have a STEM career compared to peers who don't have the same opportunities. These disparities are deeply harmful to young minds as much as they are a threat to future innovation within these industries.

A study of 1,000 14 to 24-year-olds from Goodwood's Future Lab details the strange phenomenon keeping young minds from creating next-generation products. According to the results, 59% of participants want to create technology that will positively impact the world, but 33% said they'd never pursue a career in STEM. 

Add to this, about 70% of youth are deeply inspired by cutting-edge tech solutions. And yet, few believe they are suited to enter the field of STEM: The majority of youth said they don't feel gifted enough or are concerned that the work will be too difficult. 

So, without enough hands-on opportunities to learn about STEM, the number of youth interested in this field will decline—posing a unique risk to the 5 million STEM positions that will need to be filled by 2032. 

"This is a pressing concern globally as STEM professionals are critical for creating revolutionary products that solve historic challenges in countless industries," says Kevin Dallas, CEO of EnterpriseDB (EDB), a leading data and AI company. "As AI, robotics, and machine learning become more integrated into the way we live and work, future workforces must be competent in STEM."

Public and private organizations are taking strides to increase the number of youth entering these fields. Academic programs are some of the most effective ways to engage children, and Goodwood, an English estate, is hosting prominent flagship events, festivals, and seminars at the forefront of this movement. Through the Goodwood Education Trust, the estate holds annual STEM seminars for secondary school students. These creative, fun events help students understand potential STEM careers and address negative stereotypes that deter young minds. 

Goodwood's upcoming STEM seminar will be sponsored in part by EDB, a cutting-edge software company that is the largest contributor to the world's leading open-source technology, PostgreSQL. EDB is designing a competition that will encourage students to imagine new ways in which data and AI can help solve today's most pressing challenges. The company will select top entries and then help students develop their ideas into reality with support and training from EDB's Postgres technologists and experts.

"Based on PostgreSQL downloads, we know that there is growing interest in this technology, particularly with younger people and students. They are curious builders and explorers of the possible. That means we have an extraordinary opportunity and privilege to invest in their potential," says Dallas.

Released almost 40 years ago, PostgreSQL has remained one of the most used open-source relational database management systems. A 2023 survey shows that PostgreSQL is the most admired and desired database globally because of its compliance, extensibility, and reliability. Research by EDB revealed that 35% of enterprise leaders are considering PostgreSQL for their next project, with the majority indicating that AI is going mainstream in their organizations. These findings suggest that Postgres adopters tend to be forward-thinking and highlight that as AI technology integration increases, companies are increasingly exploring popular database solutions.

As a company with the greatest concentration of Postgres technologists, EDB is dedicated to supporting youth's future in technology. The company recently made its expert training free and on-demand to the public, which underlines EDB's commitment to fostering open-source training and adoption for existing and aspiring technologists. 

"Knowledge should be accessible to all, and open-source technology embodies this principle. By offering our training and expertise freely, we hope to inspire and equip the next generation of technologists. Our commitment is to a future where everyone has the tools to contribute to groundbreaking advancements in data, AI, and beyond."

With EDB's innovative professional and support software services, students participating in the Goodwood annual STEM event have the opportunity to gain access to the company's expert technologists. This exposure will be the foundation for future STEM professionals to reach their career objectives and build a better world with PostgreSQL.