Jennifer Flanagan, President & CEO of Actua.
Jennifer Flanagan is the co-founder and President and CEO of Actua, a national charitable organization that engages Canadian youth in inspiring and innovative science and technology experiences. Through camps, classroom workshops, clubs, and community outreach, Actua’s programs reach a quarter of a million youth annually. Over the past decade, Jennifer has led the development of Actua’s national barrier-breaking programs, which engage Indigenous youth, girls and young women, youth living in rural and remote communities, and other at-risk youth. To accomplish this work, Jennifer partners with leading corporate sector companies, governments, and other non-profits.
Jennifer has served on the boards of several local, national and international groups that are committed to furthering educational opportunities for youth and for women. In 2007, Jennifer was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and in 2011 she was the recipient of a Y Women of Distinction Award (Education and Training) and was named one of Ottawa’s Top Forty Under 40. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Management from McGill University in Montreal.
How does the current system create barriers for many youths and does removing these barriers creates clearer pathways for students to STEM-related careers?
Every student should have the opportunity to succeed at school regardless of background, identity, or personal circumstances. As it stands, the current system does not provide equitable outcomes for all students. Applied and academic courses in secondary schools were initially designed to accommodate diverse learning styles and keep future education and career pathways open. However, these applied and academic streams have been shown to disproportionately affect Black and low-income students when it comes to graduation rates and the chance of going to a post-secondary institution, and in turn, it does the opposite of what it was intended to do.
Removing these streams helps break down the barriers they have created, and will help more youth feel confident and encouraged to pursue other areas and careers they may not have otherwise been exposed to – such as STEM education, which is critical to our future workforce.
At Actua, we know students often learn better when they can apply foundational STEM skills and concepts to real-life scenarios through hands-on activities.
We’ve seen a shift away from the credentials associated with your name, and place more importance on the experience you bring. The new curriculum is also said to reflect and promote this theory by integrating more real-life, practical lessons on financial literacy and coding – skills that are now essential to a lot of jobs – that may not have been available to many students through the steaming system.
Why do we need to prepare youth for the jobs of tomorrow?
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and highlighted an array of underlying weaknesses in Canada’s economy. Most notable, the pandemic has and continues to, accelerate the pace and scope of digital transformation. While technology may play a critical role in our post-pandemic world, there remains a significant problem threatening the potential of its workforce – the persistent and widening skills gap. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotic automation, are being introduced at such a rapid rate that the skills required for today’s workforce are in a constant state of flux. We’re hearing more and more job seekers say they’re concerned that post-secondary graduates lack the practical and real-world skills needed to drive innovation and re-build our post-pandemic economy. The rapidly changing nature of work is increasing not only for technical skills but for soft and human skills such as communication, adaptability, empathy, leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, cultural competence, resiliency. According to the RBC Future Launch Report – 2.4 million expected job openings show an increasing demand for these foundational skills.
What are ways to bolster student success for young people who are not succeeding in the traditional educational setting?
Some ways to bolster student success include engaging with youth early and often in hands-on, practical learning experiences, such as STEM education, that connect learning to real-world scenarios. STEM exposure and experience continue to be one of the best and more effective ways to develop these much-sought-after skills and is an excellent foundational study to prepare for any future career path. To develop the skills needed to build solutions that further Canada’s innovation, our current and future generations of students need to be equipped with skills and confidence in STEM.
At Actua, we know STEM education goes beyond the classroom – so it is so important to create these learning opportunities in and outside of school.
Beyond traditional education settings, we aim to engage and equip parents with the tools and knowledge to foster this.
Additionally, Actua believes students should not only learn about diversity but experience it. All students should see themselves and their classmates reflected in their education. To help them succeed, we have to allow youth, from all backgrounds and identities, the opportunity to take an active role in their education, and help them make learning relevant and fun while embracing difference, identifying, and creating opportunities to share and amplify different perspectives and voices.
Why do we need to continue to close gaps in the education system?
The barriers and gaps that exist in our education system are a reflection of the larger barriers that exist in our society as a whole. The wider the gap becomes, the more prevalent it will become in our future workforce and economy.
Creating diverse learning environments is also critical to growth and innovation. Research shows that organizations with inclusive cultures are six times more innovative and agile and eight times as likely to achieve better business outcomes (Deloitte, 2018). In other words, diversity leads to innovation, and innovation leads to better outcomes. This is true within the workplace and education environments. So, to ensure a resilient and prosperous economy and society, we must focus first on creating inclusive, diverse, and equitable educational environments where all students feel safe and supported to learn, explore and share their unique perspectives.
What is your key advice to women in STEM careers?
Women have long been underrepresented in STEM. That’s why so many incredible women across all levels of our innovation ecosystem are working relentlessly to break down the barriers facing women in STEM. Here are my key pieces of advice for women who may come up against some of these barriers:
- Remember, you’re not in this alone. Find a champion and build a network of like-minded women who you can lean on for support.Speak up and out against inequalities. There is a generation of girls and young women behind you who will thank you.Get comfortable with being “uncomfortable”. Growth and success lie outside your comfort zone.
- Opportunities are not linear. Don’t be afraid to embrace new and different opportunities to build as much experience as you can.
