Community Vitality 2025 - STEAM Education Centres Inc.

 

Community Vitality 2025

STEAM Education Centres Inc.


Building Indigenous Equity in STEAM for the Jobs of Tomorrow

Grant: $225,000 over 3 years

Grant Summary: This project works to offer hands-on employable skills for Indigenous students in the area of STEAM with a focus on AI, 3D Design, and Coding. This opportunity provides direct experience with these technology tools to Indigenous youth who will be able to build the confidence needed to reduce Indigenous inequity in STEAM-related career roles.

Left to right: ​Stan Laskewich, Austin Marshall, Denise Love, Fred Cahill

With 200,000 additional jobs predicted to be available in Ontario alone by 2030, the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art Design, and Math) sector is a rapidly growing area of employment. Yet, careers in STEAM are not equally accessible to all. Indigenous people make up 4 per cent of adults in Canada. But less than 2 per cent of people working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics occupations are Indigenous.

STEAM Education Centres Inc. is working to change that through its Indigenous-led iSTEAM program, which offers students the opportunity to learn about STEAM career paths and grow the confidence to expand their knowledge and use these new employable skills to apply for these kind of roles.

Through the Community Vitality program, funding of $225,000 over three years will enable STEAM Education Centres to enhance and expand its successful iSTEAM program. The program will focus on partnerships with First Nation communities and Indigenous-led and serving employment centres in Middlesex County and London, as well as the Fanshawe College Indigenous Learning Program.

“With this Community Vitality support, we’ll be able to increase exposure to STEAM concepts and link those to viable career options by providing direct experience with essential technology tools and software that the students may not otherwise have access to,” said Austin Marshall, Indigenous Coordinator at STEAM Education Centres, who identifies with the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.

The project addresses potential barriers to participation by Indigenous youth by offering free training and providing them with computers, enabling them to continue their learning. Creating programming with input from Indigenous youth and drawing on their culture helps to ensure the iSTEAM training is engaging and relevant.

“Participating in a program like this builds confidence and ability in STEAM skills and helps provide Indigenous youth with an equitable opportunity to gain access to these jobs of tomorrow,” said Marshall. “This project also builds cultural connections to the subject matter with a goal to have students see and become role models to inspire future generations.”


Full list of 2025 Community Vitality grant recipients:

 
Matthew Brewer