Recruiting the Next Generation Scientists and Industrial Engineers: How Industrial Actors Engage in and Motivate Engagement in STEM Initiatives

Abstract

Many different actors, including government, academy and industry, are engaged in school- and recruitment-STEM-initiatives. The aim is to shed light on industrial initiatives, what actors are involved and what different repertoires are being used when motivating engagement in STEM-initiatives. The data collected consists of web-materials where industrial actors describe their engagement in STEM-initiatives and provide reasons for their engagement. The method for analysis is discursive psychology. The results show that a variety of constellations of industrial actors are engaged in STEM-initiatives and that the initiatives draw on a variety of discursive resources. In our analysis we identify the following interpretative repertoires: 1) The securing competent labor repertoire, 2) The developing specific job skills or competences repertoire, 3) The bright future repertoire, and 4) The general increase interest in science repertoire. The results of this study may contribute to the self-reflection of industrial actors on how the choice of resources and repertoires may afford and constrain possibilities for breaking the cultural patterns of selection to STEM education.