The rapid rise of artificial intelligence, data science and analytics, robotics, and other technology fields has created a growing demand for workers pursuing STEM careers. Ask almost any tech recruiter and they will tell you that the technology sector is struggling to fill critical roles, and that the demand gap is getting wider.
At the same time, STEM fields face a persistent diversity gap. Women account for just 19% of engineering and computer science graduates, and the share of students of color is even lower. Companies like Bentley Systems, a leader in infrastructure engineering software and digital twins, see the urgency and are working to address this imbalance, support STEM fields, and ensure that its workforce looks like the world it serves.
“Not enough kids are going into engineering, and not enough students or academic institutions are able to pivot to meet the rigors of AI and data generation,” said Angela Curry, vice president and chief compliance officer at Bentley. “Bentley’s longstanding passion for learning and equity—combined with our role as the leading provider of infrastructure engineering software—position us to help close the resource gap and feed the pipeline with the next generation of STEM talent.”
Chris Bradshaw, chief sustainability officer at Bentley, echoes that sentiment. “The problem is only getting worse as more baby boomers retire,” he said. “Simply put, there are not enough engineers and designers to do the work needed today.”
Curry points out that in the past the company’s outreach efforts focused exclusively on colleges and universities. “But we now know we have to start younger by getting kids to understand first what they’re capable of and also what’s possible in the field,” she said.
Bentley and other engineering are now seeking to engage students sooner. Here are four ways that Bentley supports STEM education programs in collaboration with partners around the globe:
COYO Design Challenge 2024
Bentley teamed up with Class of Your Own (COYO)—a U.K.-based social enterprise that creates STEM learning curricula—to challenge secondary students around the world to design a net-zero rail station and connecting route. The winning team from the Uptown International School Dubai traveled to Bentley’s London offices to present their entry to infrastructure industry leaders. The students, ranging in age from 11 to 16, worked with the Bentley team to render their 2D sketches in a 3D environment to fully understand the scale of their project. “The vision and creativity these students brought to their project embody the principles that are essential to the future of sustainable infrastructure,” Bradshaw said.
Bentley also partners with government agencies and nonprofits to support STEM competitions around the world. They include the Skills Olympics Digital Bridge Design and Prototype Construction Competition in the Philippines, the Engineers Without Borders Innovation Challenge in Australia, and the Higher Education Cup Competition in China. “We want university students to learn more about the infrastructure engineering solutions of the future while solving issues that affect the planet today,” said Zeljko Djuretic, senior director of Bentley Education. “By producing their own infrastructure digital twins, these students will have a real advantage when they enter the engineering workforce.”
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STEM Goes Red
Bentley’s commitment to building a diverse STEM workforce starts in our own backyard. The company partners with the American Heart Association to propel young women from underserved communities in Philadelphia into STEM careers. Nearly 200 female students from five area public high schools attended an event at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, featuring hands-on workshops, interactive panel discussions, networking sessions, and more. A dozen Bentley engineers led coding sessions and breakout discussions focused on building critical technical and life skills.
Bentley also runs other on-site career days and internships at participating schools. “We get emails saying we sparked something in a young woman who previously lacked confidence and couldn’t see a future in STEM because the field is mostly male,” said Curry, who chaired STEM Goes Red for the third consecutive year. She was joined by Bentley colleagues Ellen Lewis, senior proposal manager, and Gina Mazzulla, communications and community engagement strategist.
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Learning resources and university partnerships
Bentley Education programs prepare students for careers in engineering, design, and architecture by offering free licenses for Bentley applications through the Bentley Education portal. Additionally, the company partners with universities around the world to advance STEM curricula. For example, students at the Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania developed a digital twin to visualize, analyze, and optimize energy performance and carbon emissions of buildings throughout the city of Kaunas.
Dublin City University’s Glasnevin campus in Ireland transformed itself into a small-scale smart city and the world’s first designated autism-friendly university by using technology to reduce key sensory triggers. And, at Michigan Tech University, Bentley worked with professors and grad students to complete the Intro to Transportation design lab.
STEM grant program
Bentley offers all full-time employes USD 250 (or equivalent) every year to donate to a STEM education program of their choice. Colleagues often bundle funds to maximize impact. For example, in Pune, India, teammates pitched in to support underprivileged schools by donating computers and projectors, implementing water purification systems, and funding critical renovations.
Bentley colleagues have also donated to STEM education programs, including Black Girls Code, Girl Geeks LatAM, Le Code des Filles, Govt Girls Primary School in Pakistan, and the Rukmini Foundation. In 2023, colleagues contributed USD 590,000 in STEM grants globally.
