On October 7, 2026, Snohomish STEM brought STEM Like Me!® to Centennial Middle School, where 319 seventh graders, the Class of 2032, explored careers alongside local professionals. In small-group rotations, students worked hands-on with eight employers and training partners in civil engineering, manufacturing, fusion energy, utilities, agriculture, maritime trades, and game development.
Student Impact: Knowledge and Interest
Students left knowing far more about local STEM careers. The share who rated their knowledge high more than tripled, from 22% to 79%.
Students rated each survey question on a 7-point scale, from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). A rating of 5 or higher counts as high.
| Measure | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average STEM job knowledge (7-pt scale) | 3.51 | 5.41 | +54% |
| Students with high STEM job knowledge (5+) | 22% | 79% | +57 pts |
| Average STEM job interest (7-pt scale) | 3.15 | 4.30 | +36% |
| Students with high STEM job interest (5+) | 24% | 45% | +21 pts |
Interest grew too, with nearly twice as many students reporting high interest in a STEM job after the event.
Career Identity: Seeing Themselves in the Work
After one day, one in three students could already picture themselves in a STEM job one day.
| “I can imagine myself in a STEM job one day” (7-pt scale, Not Yet to Strongly Agree) | Share of students |
|---|---|
| Can picture themselves in a STEM job (5+) | 32% |
| Still deciding (4) | 17% |
| Not yet (1 to 3) | 50% |
Career identity builds through repeated experiences, so it naturally trails knowledge and interest after a single event. Nearly half of students left with high interest in a STEM job, and one in three could already see themselves in one. That is why STEM Like Me!® is one step in a pathway that continues through high school and beyond.
Career Stations and Partners
Eight employers and training partners each led a hands-on career station:
| Partner | Hands-On Activity Focus |
|---|---|
| Eckstrom Industries | Metal fabrication, laser cutting, and manufacturing |
| Helion | Fusion energy, electricity, magnetism, and a wire-and-magnet activity |
| Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship | Maritime careers, apprenticeships, and knot tying |
| PACE Engineers, Inc. | Civil engineering, water filtration, and how clean water is delivered |
| Sanbell | Civil engineering, watersheds, water testing, and environmental protection |
| Snohomish PUD | Water utility careers, how water reaches homes, and line work |
| Teaching Worlds | Game development and design challenges |
| WSU Mount Vernon NWREC | Agriculture, wheat science, insects, and food science |
In Students’ Own Words
- “I want to be a PUD Lineman.”
- “Learning about STEM jobs I could have someday.”
- “I enjoyed learning about other people’s jobs and how it helps our community.”
- “How they use lasers to cut metal.”
- “I learned how to make copper wire spin using magnetic force.”
- “They build things to clean water for us.”
- “The one about the environment, it was cool testing water.”
- “How to tie a knot for a boat.”
- “I learned that there is a lot to being a game developer.”
- “That buckwheat is gluten free and that blue wheat exists.”
Investing in Our Future Workforce
Every professional who led a station invested directly in the talent pipeline that Snohomish County employers depend on. Middle school is when students start choosing electives and ruling careers in or out, and 319 members of the Class of 2032 now know these jobs exist close to home. They will enter the workforce in the 2030s, and the professionals they met could be their future colleagues.
Employers showed students the work. Training partners showed them the path, from apprenticeships to college programs. Together, they connect education to the workforce and economic development needs of Snohomish County and our region.
STEM Like Me!® was made possible with investment from Google Cloud and Economic Alliance Snohomish County, along with the time and expertise of every presenter and volunteer. Developed and led by Snohomish STEM, at the Economic Alliance.
STEM Like Me!® is one of Snohomish STEM’s signature programs, alongside ECHO Tour℠, Explore I.T. Careers℠, and Spring into STEM℠.
