A new wave of interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (aka STEM) is sweeping educational institutions and school districts around the country. The University of Hawaii is no exception. The good news is that there are technology jobs available but insufficient numbers of students to fulfill the demand.

While a lot of media coverage has been given to the problem of low-paying service economy jobs in Hawaii and elsewhere, the number of good-paying positions in science and technology are growing. Many of the current technology jobs are filled by foreign workers who have studied sciences at U.S. universities and colleges while U.S. students struggle to find work.

With good-paying jobs available in science and engineering, the question is what are we doing to get more students to qualify for these positions?

The simple answer is the renewed emphasis on STEM, which will move students into science and math so they can qualify for technology jobs. While there is a great deal of educational focus on improving math and science in elementary schools, there are also some very successful programs that tackle this problem at the college level.

This entails building interest in science and engineering areas by getting students involved in real-world projects and giving them an opportunity to work in carefully mentored internships. Students are more motivated to tackle serious math and science courses if they have a clear idea of what they can do and how exciting this can be. In Hawaii we have some exciting opportunities available for students to build rewarding careers right here at home.

I recently spoke with Lisa Hunter, the director of the Akamai Workforce Initiative, about this trend. Her program matches Hawaii students with local technology companies supporting our world-leading astronomical research facilities at Haleakala and Mauna Kea. Since 2003 the Akamai Initiative has provided internships to 301 students with some 25 local companies.

While this program is available nationally, it is meant to find local students at Hawaii campuses or elsewhere around the country.

“We often work with Hawaii clubs at universities around the country to find our interns,” Hunter said.

Within the program to date, 80 percent of the students have been born in Hawaii, 41 percent are women and 23 percent are Native Hawaiian. The interns not only come from four-year campuses, but about 37 percent come from community colleges.

The internships are not just short-term opportunities. As of 2013, 81 percent of tracked interns were in science and engineering positions within three years following their internships.

While the majority of these students intern in support of telescopes at Haleakala and Mauna Kea, the program has expanded to include marine science and related technology with local companies. The new Thirty Meter Telescope will be a major opportunity for local students to explore a technical career with the excitement of supporting cutting-edge research in Hawaii. Hunter said one Maui-born woman who was not studying technology but interned with the program is back on Maui working at the new Haleakala telescope and is very happy with her new career.

Any technology business in Hawaii can propose an internship program. To participate they must agree to dedicate an employee to be trained as a mentor with weekly program meetings and follow-up by the Akamai Workforce Initiative. Information for students and businesses interested in technical interns can check at akamaihawaii.org Opens in a new tab.

STEM programs such as the Akamai Workforce Initiative are forging good paying careers for students who would otherwise have to leave the state to make a living or take lesser paying jobs in the hospitality industry. We salute their efforts.

Mike Meyer, formerly Internet general manager at Oceanic Time Warner Cable, is now chief information officer at Honolulu Community College. Reach him atmmeyer@hawaii.edu.