Nonprofits fostering Black students’ readiness for STEM jobs | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder

If the American K-12 education system were graded on how well it prepares Black students for the jobs of the future, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math, it probably would fail.

Black people are currently underrepresented in high-wage jobs but overrepresented in low-wage work and have a disproportionately high rate of unemployment compared to whites. By contrast, only around 1 in 10 workers in STEM fields, such as computer coding or biotechnology, are Black. 

The 2024 Black Students and STEM Report, released in April, found that while tests show Black students in general have an aptitude for jobs in those fields, they lack interest, “likely in part due to a lack of Black individuals currently represented in these careers.”

That lack of interest originates in middle and high school, when students “explore coursework, engage with counselors and teachers, explore skills and trades, and imagine future careers,” according to the report. “Without proper tools and interventions, this time is precisely when students begin to opt out of STEM-related careers.”

Yet too often majority-Black K-12 schools lack the resources and role models, while Black students in mostly-white schools don’t get the same opportunities as their white classmates to take advanced science and math classes — the gateways to jobs in the new economy. And research shows the lack of career readiness affects students’ life outcomes when it comes to securing long-term careers and financial security.

However, there are nonprofit organizations designed to engage and encourage Black students to consider college and professional careers. These organizations offer mentorship and practical lessons on how to succeed in the future workplace. 

 Here are four career readiness and mentorship organizations that help prepare Black students for the future. 

100 Black Men of America 

Billing itself as the nation’s top mentoring organization for young Black people, the organization began in New York City 61 years ago when a group of influential Black professional men — including Hall of Fame baseball player Jackie Robinson and David Dinkins, then the future mayor of New York — gathered to explore ways to help the Black community. Twenty years later, the organization received its charter and elected its leadership. 

Working with more than 125,000 Black youth across the country, The 100, as it is known, offers mentoring at annual conferences and regional workshops, primarily centered on business and entrepreneurship, as well as preparing students for college, that are open to the public. They also provide financial literacy classes along with fiscal planning, investment management and career development.

Black Girls CODE

Only 20% of all engineering bachelor’s degree holders are women. The data is even worse for women of color, who represent less than 4% of engineering bachelor’s degree holders. For Black American women specifically, that percentage is declining, according to the Society of Women Engineers. 

Black Girls CODE supports girls of color by teaching them about computer coding, systems engineering, and other tech opportunities. The organization partners with schools, companies, local organizations, and volunteers to provide learning opportunities and build relationships to help Black girls thrive in STEM. 

The Blue Heart Foundation 

The Blue Heart Foundation focuses on underserved Black boys and young men, exposing them to various experiences, including college campus tours and community service activities. 

Along with college prep classes and sessions on socio-emotional development, the organization offers a STEM academy designed specifically to give Black boys educational experiences in the field as well as providing role models and mentorship. 

It offers mentorships, personal and professional development, college campus tours, and community service activities each semester. The foundation’s goal is to help raise socially aware young men. 

Black Girls Do STEM 

Created to address the lack of Black women in science- and tech-related fields, Black Girls Do STEM provides “a culturally unique learning space where we place positive role models who look like them right in their path,” according to the organization’s website. “Our goal is to create a cradle-to-career pathway to strengthen and diversify the pipeline of skilled workers entering today’s dynamic labor market.”

Their programs include college prep such as preparing for standardized tests. They also offer a basic STEM academy for middle school girls and a more advanced one for high school girls. The latter includes tutoring in math and science and opportunities for internships. 

Aziah Siid is a journalist with a background in K-12 teaching, aiding young individuals with disabilities, and improving underserved schools.

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