The manufacturing sector of our state employs the makers of our society. They are the companies that take ideas of engineering and design and make them a reality. New advances in material science and manufacturing techniques have pushed the boundaries of what is possible in all areas of engineering and technology from buildings that are safer, cars that are faster and more efficient, aircraft that are invisible to radar detection, and rockets that will carry us to explore new planets. The job opportunities in this sector are increasing exponentially, mirroring the demand for people who understand how to optimize engineering designs that use these new materials and processes. These opportunities include advanced composites like carbon fiber, 3D printing in a wide variety of materials, the generation of new synthetic materials and advanced machining and fabrication techniques with computer numeric control (CNC) and robotic systems.

Computer scientists and computational thinkers are the creators in a digital economy. Current students need to be more than just consumers of technology; they need to be active citizens in our technology-driven world. Our economy is rapidly shifting, and both educators and business leaders are increasingly recognizing that computer science is a new “basic” skill necessary for economic opportunity and social mobility. Last year, there were more than 600,000 high-paying tech jobs across the United States that were unfilled, and by 2018, 51% of all STEM jobs are projected to be in computer science-related fields. Computer science and data science are not only important for the tech sector, but also for most industries including transportation, healthcare, education, and financial services.

Members of this panel will be able to answer questions about the building process as a whole and jobs within the progressive stages. In the design phase, formal design teams, including civil engineers and surveyors, create detailed specifications and drawings before construction begins. Project coordinators work with lawyers, investors, and government officials to acquire financing and meet all requirements for zoning and building codes. In the procurement phase, construction proceeds through either the design-build method where one company provides both design and building services to complete a structure or through the management procurement method where a client negotiates separate contracts with a designer, individual construction contractors, and an independent construction manager.

Examples of traditional technologies include plumbing, construction management, refrigeration, electrical wiring, and heating and air conditioning. Developing materials and construction methods to meet green standards for buildings is a new and dynamic field. Environmental engineering and geotechnical engineering are areas requiring advanced construction technologies. Advanced construction technologies include:

• Steel-Plate Reinforced Concrete Structures
• Concrete Composition Technologies (Advanced Concrete Admixtures)
• High Deposition Rate Welding
• Robotic Welding
• 3D Modeling
• GPS Applications in Construction
• Open-Top Installation
• Pipe Bends vs. Welded Elbows
• Precision Blasting/Rock Removal.

A career in digital design is more than just graphic or web design and has crossover in many fields. These fields include advertising and marketing; architectural design and rendering; animation for games, science, and medicine; photography and image creation; film and video production; and more. In fact, students are advised to search for jobs by skills and roles rather than job titles as new job titles emerge every year. The digital artist and designer must plan to be in a continual state of learning new techniques, software, and technical equipment. Intangible skills such as a keen sense of story, communication, teamwork, and creativity are also important.

Come and learn about all of the jobs that utilize digital design technologies to create dynamic sensory experiences. You will meet industry experts from Utah firms in architecture, advertising, animation, and film and learn about the many ways you can turn your creative talents into a career you will love.

Energy can be defined simply as, “The ability to do work.” So what kind of businesses deal with creating energy so the rest of us can do our work? Did you know that the amount of energy needed in the United States doubles every 20 years? Or that the energy used to run Google can continuously power 200,000 homes? What are businesses doing to keep up with the demand and make energy creation, delivery, and use more efficient? What STEM careers do they offer, and does the future look “bright” for power and energy? These panel experts will share their roles in the energy industry and the new and exciting energy options on the horizon.

If you are interested in animals, the oceans, the weather, the soil, or what makes the world go round, this is the area for you! Environmental science includes the physical, biological, and information sciences, such as ecology, biology, physics, chemistry, zoology, mineralogy, oceanology, limnology, soil science, geology, atmospheric science, . . . and the list goes on! Our use of the environment helps us every day and in every way, but what are businesses doing to protect the environment so we don’t overuse it? Come see what some major local companies are doing in environmental STEM research, careers, and protection.

In Utah, STEM jobs are in high demand, particularly in healthcare and engineering. In the future, it is projected that STEM job demand will increase by 17%, while unemployment rates for individuals with STEM degrees maintains an average of 1.6%. As demands increase, students need to prepare to fill these positions. Students who learn science in a cross-disciplinary environment will be the ones to push the boundaries of scientific research. Biomedical sciences are a set of applied sciences relating to natural science, formal science, or both to develop knowledge, interventions, or technology for use in healthcare or public health. Such disciplines as medical microbiology, medical pathology, clinical virology, clinical epidemiology, and biomedical engineering are medical sciences. Biomedical denotes a principal emphasis on problems related to human health and diseases.

On this panel, you will learn about career pathways in the medical field and have the opportunity to talk to a panel of industry professionals from the areas of laboratory science, pharmacy, nursing, and dental hygiene to understand career expectations, industry trends, and how to prepare yourself for a successful career in the medical field.

In this panel, you will hear from companies involved in a variety of transportation roles from manufacturing to system management. All transportation depends on technology, whether it’s the wheel, the jet engine, or the computer chip. Transportation is not just technology—it’s a system of technology, people, energy, money, and more—but advances in technology play a key role in shaping transportation systems, which in turn help to shape our lives, landscapes, and culture.

The growth of the world’s population coupled with climate change concerns have placed increasing demands on transportation infrastructure. New transportation technologies are emerging to meet these challenges, including connected and autonomous vehicles, alternative fuels, keyless fleet management and traffic analytics, as well as local zoning and planning policies that support transit-oriented development.