There are not enough science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers. That is not just an education policy talking point. It is a reality playing out in classrooms across the country, where many schools are working hard to fill science and math teaching positions and ensure students have access to strong STEM instruction. 

The students most affected are often in under-resourced communities, where access to high-quality, career-connected STEM learning can be limited by persistent teacher shortages and uneven access to industry-connected experiences. 

Here is the part that might surprise you: if you work in STEM, you could help close that gap without quitting your job, without enrolling in a credential program right away, and without any kind of long-term commitment.

Why the Shortage Keeps Growing

The STEM teacher shortage is not new, but it continues to be a serious challenge. Fewer people are entering teacher preparation programs, and many early-career teachers need stronger support to stay in the classroom. At the same time, competitive private-sector salaries often pull STEM talent away from education before they ever consider teaching.

The result is that many students, especially in high-need schools, have fewer opportunities to learn from teachers with deep STEM content knowledge and real-world industry experience. That affects whether students see themselves pursuing STEM careers, whether they understand how STEM shows up in the world around them, and what opportunities feel possible as they grow up.

What classrooms need are not only people who planned to become teachers from the beginning but also people who have done the work: people who know what engineering, biology, data science, technology, or applied math looks like outside of a textbook, and who can help students see that this knowledge is real, useful, and within reach.

That is exactly the kind of person EnCorps is looking for.

What EnCorps Does Differently

The EnCorps STEM Teachers Program recruits STEM professionals who are exploring teaching and are interested in serving high-need communities. The program is built around a straightforward idea: before making a major career decision, you should have the chance to spend meaningful time in a classroom and see how it feels.

As an EnCorps Fellow, you volunteer in a classroom for two hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks in one of EnCorps’ partner schools. You are paired with an experienced host teacher who supports you throughout the experience. You get hands-on exposure, real student interaction, and a clearer sense of whether teaching is something you want to pursue.

The experience culminates in a Takeover Day, where you guest-teach a lesson you have prepared with support from your host teacher.

If the experience leaves you inspired to continue, EnCorps staff can help you understand next steps toward becoming a STEM teacher, including credential pathways, program options, and resources to help you move forward. Fellows also gain access to workshops, online learning resources, and a community of STEM professionals exploring a similar path. 

The program is free of charge.

This Is Not a Commitment. It Is a Test Drive.

One of the biggest reasons STEM professionals do not consider teaching is the perception that exploring it means giving something up: a salary, a career trajectory, or years of work building expertise in a field.

EnCorps is designed to remove that barrier. You do not need a teaching credential to apply. You do not need to leave your current job. You are not signing on to become a teacher. You are giving yourself the chance to find out whether teaching could be the right next step.

The 10-week experience is structured to give you an honest picture of what working with students is really like. Fellows walk away with a clearer understanding of the classroom, the teaching profession, and whether they want to continue on the path toward becoming a STEM teacher.

Many decide they do. EnCorps Fellows have gone on to become full-time STEM teachers in the communities where they first volunteered, bringing industry experience and real-world perspective to students who benefit from seeing how STEM connects to future careers.

Who Qualifies

EnCorps draws from a wide range of STEM backgrounds. The current Fellow community includes professionals with 15 or more years of STEM experience, 60 percent of whom hold master’s degrees or PhDs. Fellows reflect a diverse range of identities and career paths, and that diversity matters because students need to see themselves in the people teaching them.

To be eligible, you need a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university, a GPA of 2.5 or above, and STEM industry or education experience. You should not currently hold a teaching credential in math or science, and you need to live in one of the California regions EnCorps serves: Greater Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside, or Sacramento.

If your degree is not in a STEM subject, you may need to pass the CSET, but your Program Manager will walk you through exactly what that involves.

The Opportunity in Front of You

There is a student somewhere in a California classroom right now who may have never met a working engineer, data scientist, biologist, computer scientist, or other STEM professional. They may not yet know what STEM careers actually look like, or that those careers could be within reach for them.

You could be one of the people who helps change that.

The STEM teacher shortage is a problem that will not fix itself. But it is also a problem where individual people, with the right experience and the willingness to try something meaningful, can make a direct difference.

If you have been wondering whether there is something more you could be doing with your STEM experience, this is worth exploring.

Learn more and apply at encorps.org/teach.