Do Secondary Graduates in Greece Recognize the Opportunities for Vocational Rehabilitation in STEM Education?

Do Secondary Graduates in Greece Recognize the Opportunities for Vocational Rehabilitation in STEM Education?

Eirini Golegou, Manolis Wallace and Kostas Peppas*

University of the Peloponnese, Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, Tripoli, Greece

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.903SEDU0304

Received: 24 May 2025; Accepted: 28 May 2025; Published: 30 June 2025

ABSTRACT

Considering that the development of STEM education in the Western world was due to the low interest of young people in working in one of the STEM fields [1], it is interesting to study the level of interest of Greek students in finding STEM related jobs forty years after the need to stimulate it was recognized in the USA, thirty years after the appearance of the term [2]and eighteen years after the introduction of the first STEM oriented study programmed [3]. As has been noted, 21st century skills are necessary for a competitive workforce that will be able to contribute to national and global economic growth [4]. And since the schools associated with STEM skills are the ones that can lead to the development of 21st century skills and that educate the future STEM professionals, it is deemed necessary to make a list of them. The article analyses the number of admissions to each higher education institution related to STEM fields and the vacancies recorded in these institutions after the introduction of the lower admissions threshold. The main conclusion of the research is that there are vacancies in science departments even in large urban centers. A fact that shows that candidates do not recognize them as STEM. There are also many vacancies in engineering departments even in smaller provincial towns.

Keyword: STEM universities; Greeks students’ preferences; vocational rehabilitation; university departments in high demand

INTRODUCTION

Constant changes in the global economy, such as climate change, globalization, technological progress, and demographic shifts, have led to a demand for workers who can adapt to new conditions [5, 6]. At the same time, the types of jobs available to graduates are changing. STEM professions are gaining ground on the global stage [7, 8, 9], and the demand for these professionals is growing [10]. Acquiring knowledge in these disciplines guarantees professional success [9, 10] due to the many opportunities and high salaries [9], even at the start of one’s career [11]. The knowledge that young people acquire in STEM fields can benefit them due to the high demand for STEM professionals in the labor market [12]. However, fewer than 25% of graduates in OECD countries have a degree in a STEM field [13]. By 2021, however, 27% of first-year students in OECD countries will have chosen a STEM field for their studies, making it the most popular choice [13]. Interest in science is observed to decline from primary school onwards, largely disappearing by the time an individual enters higher education [6]. Since adolescents are the future workforce [14], it is important to examine their attitudes toward STEM departments to determine if they recognize the available career opportunities.

Higher education institutions are considered to be of paramount importance because they offer specialization of the skills acquired by individuals, who will have acquired specific skills at the end of their studies that will be useful in their professional careers [13, 15]. These skills help individuals obtain jobs with higher earnings and more opportunities. However, the skills individuals acquire during training for these occupations can contribute to career success [16]. Developing these skills from a young age can help individuals acquire the knowledge and skills needed in the 21st century [7].

Throughout this research, all STEM disciplines are considered equally valid. Studies in these fields are the means for economic development, cultural transformation, innovation, and technology [16]. Therefore, a science degree can be considered as useful for professional rehabilitation as an engineering degree. The preference of applicants for university departments was chosen as a topic of study because it has been observed that attending a STEM department can positively influence an individual’s career in related professions, offering more employment opportunities than other types of education [17]. Furthermore, constant technological changes have made it more difficult for young people to transition from university to the labor market [18]. Higher education institutions play an important role in specializing individuals’ knowledge and skills to meet and successfully respond to future job demands [5]. Given the specialization that STEM workers need [12], it is clear that attending a STEM department in college can lead to high-paying careers. Combined with Greeks’ high graduation rates compared to other OECD countries [19], it is evident that STEM careers can be achieved through higher education in the respective fields.

The number of students who choose STEM subjects at the end of secondary education is also examined because students’ attitudes toward STEM careers form during this time [16]. Students’ choice of orientation group indicates their interests, which influence their career development [15].

This survey is important because young people’s choice of university largely reflects their aspirations and belief that the department will provide them with a career. Despite the increase in jobs requiring STEM skills, the number of graduates from these types of programs is decreasing, and the gender inclusion gap is widening at the expense of women [20]. At the same time, there is a lack of interest in STEM careers among young people. Examining the criteria by which students choose a university department, the authors conclude that polytechnic departments in large urban centers are in high demand, a trend not observed in provincial polytechnics. There is also low demand for science and mathematics departments, as evidenced by the large number of vacancies. The high number of vacancies in departments that lead to STEM careers suggests that high school graduates are unaware of these departments’ career opportunities.

The main objective is to answer the following questions:

Do Greek high school students entering university recognize the parity between STEM fields when it comes to future careers?

Does the choice of department in which seniors wish to study depend more on the department itself or the university institution?

What are the best practices to ensure that students have accurate information about STEM career employment opportunities?

What are the best practices to motivate students to engage in STEM?

STEM Education and Professional Skills

The shift towards STEM education was in response to the longstanding need to strengthen science and mathematics education in the US. This need was first observed in 1980 when the National Science Foundation began addressing it in its reports [2]. The perceived need to adapt to a changing global economy and maintain national competitiveness were the main drivers of this shift [21, 22]. Throughout this period, various associations and organizations have published statements expressing their intention to contribute to American science education. In the 1990s, teachers’ unions and primary, secondary, and tertiary education associations joined the trend. As a result, innovative educational practices in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) were designed and implemented [2]. Since 2007, STEM education has been seen as essential for acquiring knowledge and professional skills during school and for future careers [2]. Improved STEM education of the workforce is believed to contribute to global economic growth [23]. This type of education is also expected to help young people adapt to new work standards, secure better career prospects, and cultivate positive attitudes toward STEM disciplines [24]. It deepens knowledge and teaches students to make connections between disciplines. In 2014, Australian researchers claimed that 75% of future jobs would require STEM skills and that increased employment in STEM fields would significantly contribute to GDP growth [24].

However, by the early 21st century, research in several countries showed a decline in interest in STEM subjects among secondary school students, as well as a decline in university enrollments in science and mathematics. In the UK, for example, participation in science courses fell by 49% and in chemistry courses by 26% between 1990 and 2008. Between 1992 and 2007, enrollments in science and chemistry decreased by 26% and 22%, respectively. In France, the number of students enrolled in university courses in these fields fell by half between 1995 and 2007. In Japan, between 1999 and 2007, enrollments in science and engineering schools decreased by 10% [25]. This data underscores the necessity of reevaluating science and engineering curricula. It also shows that the shift toward STEM education was a societal necessity. Engineering, in particular, is a discipline that needs to be strengthened, as it involves problem-solving and innovation—skills in demand in the workplace and nationwide [26].

Acquisition of University-Level STEM Education in Greece

Considering that the development of STEM education in the Western world was due to young people’s low interest in working in STEM fields [1], it is interesting to study Greek students’ interest in STEM-related jobs forty years after the need to stimulate it was recognized in the US, thirty years after the term appeared [2], and eighteen years after the first STEM-oriented study program was introduced [3].

Regarding the Greek education system, after the Panhellenic Examination and publication of the results, students submit an application form. Students list the schools they wish to attend in order of preference. Starting in 2020, each orientation group will have access to schools in a specific academic field.

The first academic field consists of humanities, law, and social sciences. The second academic field consists of schools offering science and technology programs. The third field consists of health and life sciences schools. The fourth field consists of economics and computer science schools. Students in the “Humanities and Social Sciences” group can apply to the first field, students in the “Natural Sciences” group can apply to the second field, students in the “Health Sciences” group can apply to the third field, and students in the “Business and Computer Sciences” group can apply to the fourth field.

As mentioned above, 21st-century skills are necessary for a competitive workforce that can contribute to national and global economic growth [4]. Since schools associated with STEM skills can lead to the development of 21st-century skills and educate future STEM professionals, it is necessary to compile a list of these schools.

For the purposes of this paper, we considered a school STEM if it met one of the following criteria:

The school’s name contains at least one STEM field.

Graduates have professional rights that give them access to a STEM profession.

The schools can therefore be divided into four groups:

Science (physics, chemistry, biology, and geology)

Technology and Computing

Technology and Engineering

Mathematics

Table 1-4 groups the schools according to their corresponding academic field.

Table 1 This table shows all those University departments that are related with Science (S of STEM)

Table 2 This table shows all those University departments that are related with Technology and Informatic (T of STEM).

Table 3 This table shows all those University departments that are related with Engineers and Mechanical Engineers (E of STEM).

Table 4 This table shows all those University departments that are related with Mathematics (M of STEM).

Table 5 This table shows the number of Universities’ Departments that are related with each field of STEM Education.

In the application form, schools are classified into different academic fields, with some belonging to more than one field. There are 718 options in total, but the number of schools, including military and security forces schools, is 458. We do not take these schools into account here since their graduates join the forces immediately, unlike the rest of the graduates who enter the market. Thus, we are left with 438 schools (Table 5).

Of these, 101 can be considered STEM schools. All of these schools are accessible to students from the “Science” orientation group. Some of these schools also belong to another academic field. More precisely, 16 of these schools also belong to the third academic field and can be selected by students from the “Health Sciences” orientation group. Finally, 19 of these 101 schools are accessible to students from the orientation group “Economics and Informatics.”

Clearly, students in the “Science” orientation group have the best chance of becoming STEM professionals: of the 215 schools they can apply to, 101 directly relate to STEM skills. It’s worth noting that students in this group are tested in mathematics, physics, and chemistry—the three pillars of STEM.

The importance of the knowledge acquired through these subjects becomes apparent from the following analysis.

First, engineering schools belong only to the second academic field. Second, informatics schools are accessible through the fourth and second academic fields. In the “Economics and Informatics” orientation group, students learn pseudocode as part of the Informatics curriculum. The opportunity for students who chose “Science” to apply to these schools reveals the strong connection between the fields. These connections involve mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills acquired through mathematics and science.

Students in the “Health Sciences” orientation group have access only to the Chemistry and Biology schools in the Science academic field, not the Physics school, even though they are taught Physics. This is because Mathematics is not one of the required subjects for this group. Conversely, both the “Health Sciences” and “Science” groups can select biology schools. Students in the “Science” orientation group may not be tested in biology, but they are tested in chemistry.

Overall, it is safe to say that the “Science” orientation group leads more than any other to studies that will prepare future STEM professionals, followed by the “Economics and Informatics” orientation group, and finally, the “Health Sciences” orientation group.

Table 6 Percentage and number of students per orientation group in day High Schools. (N.B. : The total number of candidates does not equate the total number of students which includes students who only took the exam to enroll to Music schools.) [27, 28, 29, 30]

Table 6 depicts the number of students per orientation group who took the Panhellenic Exam and the corresponding percentage since the 2019–2020 academic year, when the current education system went into effect. The largest concentration of students is consistently observed in the “Economics and Informatics” and “Humanities” orientation groups. The “Science” and “Health Sciences” orientation groups have the fewest students. From 2020-2021 to 2022-2023, the differences in numbers did not exceed 2%, thus rendering them insignificant. However, in 2019-2020, the number of candidates from “Science” was significantly lower than from “Health Sciences” (15.40% and 21.23%, respectively).

The percentage of students who chose the “Science” orientation group ranges from 15.40% to 19.04%, which is less than a quarter of the entire student population. These numbers suggest potential ignorance of market demand for STEM professions in the future. This observation aligns with international literature. In fact, it is suggested that the study of enrollments in higher education leads to the conclusion that demand for professions relating to engineering and technology will exceed supply.

Greek students’ preferences

Starting in the 2020-2021 academic year, a minimum grade of access (MGA) will be in force [31]. The M.G.A. is set by the Senate based on a proposal from the department or school. The M.G.A. refers to the average grade without taking the coefficient of each subject into account [31]. Due to the introduction of the M.G.A., students with lower averages are unable to express a preference for a particular school.

The table above (Table 7) shows the number of vacant spots in certain schools. The M.G.A. is also mentioned to draw conclusions. Only schools related to STEM fields are included.

Table 7 Number and percentage of positions that are not filled in each department from 2021 to 2023. The result was obtained by removing the column “Positions (after transfer)” with the column “Graduates” from the file of the Ministry of Education, in which the admission bases to the universities are announced. [32, 33, 34, 35]

A high number of unfilled positions can be seen in subjects such as physics, geology, and mathematics. This observation applies not only to provincial areas but also to large urban centers such as Athens and Thessaloniki; for example, in 2023, the Physics Department at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which set the M.G.A. grade at 14.81, had 18 vacancies. Previous years saw all positions filled when the M.G.A. was relatively lower. In 2023, 1,251 students expressed a preference for this school. The fact that not all positions were filled means the remaining candidates ended up in a school they had ranked higher on their list of preferences. Of all the candidates who were accepted, 91 had ranked the school as their first choice.

As for the physics school in Thessaloniki, not all positions were filled in 2023 or the two previous years. Despite the lower M.G.A., the number of vacancies is higher in provincial schools. Notably, the Physics school in Lamia had an M.G.A. of 9.87, meaning it was not preferred by students who did not receive a 10/20.

The situation is similar for mathematics schools. They also end up with vacancies. The school in Ioannina had the highest number of vacancies in 2023 despite its low M.G.A. of 12.56. The schools in Lamia and Samos had M.G.A.s of 9.78 and 56 and 100 vacancies, respectively.

Geology schools also had a high number of vacancies throughout the period of M.G.A. application. Despite the low M.G.A. of 10.18 in 2021, the number of vacancies increased to 167. Compared to other science schools, geology schools have had the highest percentage of vacancies over the last three years.

Departments of electrical and computer engineering in the province have a large number of unfilled positions. In 2023, the figures were 160 in Heraklion, 53 in Chania, 44 in Xanthi, and 27 in Patras. Reducing the M.G.A. seems to have had a positive effect; for example, in Kozani, filling all the posts was the result of reducing the M.G.A. between 2021 and 2023.

The same applies to schools such as Architecture, Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.

Overall, there are a large number of unfilled positions in university departments whose graduates will be STEM professionals. However, some paradoxical trends can be observed: for example, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Athens is in high demand and has a high MGA, while the same departments in other provinces have vacancies.

Departments of engineering and mechanical engineering in Athens and Thessaloniki fill all their positions, while departments of physics, mathematics, and geology, even at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, do not. Conversely, chemistry and biology departments are filling all their positions, including the newly established chemistry department in Kavala.

Table 8 Number of candidates who declare the school as their first choice irrespective of place from 2019 to 2023. [33] [32] [34] [36] [37]

The number of students who selected physics, mathematics, or geology as their first choice indicates a lack of interest in these fields, as seen in Table 8. Geology schools are the least preferred first choice, followed by physics and then mathematics. Biology and chemistry schools are much more popular. The same applies to schools specializing in electrical, mechanical, and electronic engineering.

Table 9 Number of candidates who declare the school irrespective of place and order of reference from 2019 to 2023. [33] [32] [34] [36] [37]

Concerning the total number of candidates who declared a preference for each group of schools in whatever position on their application form, the picture remains the same (Table 9). The large number of candidates who declared a preference for physics schools, for example, clashes with the number of unfilled positions. This can be explained by the fact that students with higher grades who listed a particular school higher in their application form preferred it.

Factors influencing the decision to engage in STEM professions

The decision to pursue a career in a STEM field has been extensively studied in the international literature. Social factors [38] such as gender [39] [40] [41] [42], ethnicity, family economic background [43], parents’ occupation [40], the type of school attended and whether or not they live in an urban area [38] seem to influence young people’s decisions. Girls [39] [43] and individuals belonging to ethnic minorities show less interest in these fields. Children with supportive, non-prejudiced parents are more likely to pursue a STEM career [39].

Psychological factors, such as students’ self-perception, also play an important role in choosing a STEM career [38] [44]. By self-perception, we mean the image each student has of themselves, and their belief in their ability to meet the high demands of these professions [44]. Students who have a positive self-image and expect to succeed are more likely to pursue a career in one of these fields [38] [45] [42]. Additionally, parents’ beliefs and behavior greatly influence their children’s interest in the subject [43].

The curriculum followed also plays an important role in students’ future career choices [46]. Research shows that children begin to form opinions about the profession they will eventually pursue from the age of 9 [47] . The years of middle school [38] and secondary education in general [44] play an important role in their final decision. Comprehensive STEM activities in middle school can contribute to future careers in these fields [42]. For this reason, it is recommended that curricula be oriented towards 21^st century skills [46].

The proper professional training of teachers is also important. The choice of teaching method is equally important [43] [38] . Methods that require research or solving everyday problems positively affect students’ attitudes towards engineering and science professions, as they help students understand their societal role [38]. Such positive attitudes towards these professions increase the likelihood that students will pursue one of them in the future [40] .

Increasing students’ interest in specific fields is also important, and this can be achieved by using digital technologies in teaching [46]. Positive results can also be achieved by engaging students with the positive sciences in the classroom. These results stem from students interacting with science and its resources [45] . Similarly, it is recommended that a supportive environment is created in the classroom by motivating students [38] .

Other contributing factors include career guidance, engaging students in STEM activities in non-formal settings and organized intervention strategies.

DISCUSSION

One of the OECD’s main approaches is investing in the quality of higher education so that young people can adapt smoothly to the demands of the labor market [5].

In Greece, fewer than one in four departments are related to STEM fields (101 out of 438). We assume that Science Studies is the field most related to STEM, but it is not in high demand compared to other fields. Two main conclusions can be drawn. First, physics, mathematics, and geology departments are not popular among candidates, and there are vacancies in both provincial and large urban centers, such as Athens and Thessaloniki. These vacancies reveal a lack of student preference for these schools, consistent with the decline in science graduates in the United States [12]. Future research could investigate the reasons for this trend. Mathematics and physics are both core STEM fields, and their low demand can be linked to Greece’s position in the bottom 20% of countries in terms of matching workers’ skills with labor market demand [19]. The situation is different in chemistry and biology, where there are no vacancies and admission rates remain high. Conversely, the faculties of engineering and mechanical engineering have no vacancies in large urban centers but only in provincial towns such as Serres, Heraklion, Patras, Chania, and Xanthi. A comparison of the enrollment bases of the National Technical University of Athens and the technical schools of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Patras reveals that departments such as electrical engineering remain in high demand. In Xanthi, however, there are vacancies. Thus, high-achieving students are admitted to prestigious university institutions, as is the case in South Korea [17]. The prestige of the profession itself is also mentioned as a motivation for career choice [15]. Other factors influencing the choice of a field of study include parents [10, 18], the environment (e.g., friends and teachers) [18], the career guidance students receive at school [13], and personal interests [10, 12]. The relatively low demand for STEM degrees and jobs in the US is also mentioned. A similar level of interest could not be found in Greece due to the large number of vacancies in the aforementioned fields. Some of the factors influencing an individual’s career path and the type of studies pursued are related to endogenous factors, such as personal interests [18]. This raises the question: If candidates were aware of the opportunities offered by STEM careers, would these positions still be vacant?

A survey of Italian adolescents on the subject of work was conducted, and the results show that adolescents perceive work as a means to achieve economic well-being and satisfaction of values related to respect and dignity [14]. STEM fields can satisfy the need for economic empowerment and the satisfaction of young people’s value systems. Thus, providing proper information about STEM professions could increase demand for the respective university departments.

In previous research, the authors themselves conducted a review of education systems around the world and proposed targeted interventions for Greece [48].

CONCLUSIONS

The ultimate goal of STEM education is to produce professionals in relevant sectors and a skilled workforce that will be in high demand in the labor market [7]. On the other hand, it is to motivate students to become interested in and involved with the relevant fields through their studies in adulthood [7]. Clearly, the application of STEM education can contribute significantly to students’ choice of scientific studies and the corresponding university institutions.

The authors address the questions posed at the beginning of the article.

Greek high school graduates do not seem to recognize parity between university departments in all STEM fields. Thus, even in Athens, the capital city, there are differences between the various fields. There is high demand in STEM departments and low demand in physics, mathematics, and geology departments, where vacancies are even observed. In conclusion, candidates do not seem to recognize the equal opportunities offered by all STEM disciplines.

The selection criterion for university admission appears to be the institution rather than the department. This is reinforced by the engineering position vacancies observed in provincial universities. There are even disproportionately more vacancies in physics and mathematics departments in provincial universities than in large urban centers. The main selection criterion is therefore the university institution.

The choice of university department is the first step in determining one’s professional career, making it one of the most important decisions in one’s life [18]. Additionally, career counseling helps young people identify their vocations and follow the appropriate processes to acquire the skills that will enable them to succeed professionally [14]. Students’ limited knowledge of career opportunities at STEM institutions negatively affects their decision to pursue these careers [6]. Therefore, it is suggested that students have sessions with career guidance experts during secondary education because interaction with knowledgeable experts can positively influence candidates. It is not appropriate to conduct these sessions during school hours. As it requires knowledge that not all teachers have, it is suggested that school PTAs initiate the sessions or that teachers recommend them to students and their parents.

Increasing the time pupils spend on different subjects can motivate them to pursue them professionally. It is worth noting that engaging students in these subjects from kindergarten onward is beneficial [23]. Additionally, mentoring programs in STEM subjects can positively impact students’ interest in the subjects and their future careers in related professions [6, 9]. These effects can be enhanced by the presence of a mentor with whom students develop a close, trusting relationship [9]. On the other hand, the mentor should have specialized knowledge to meet the requirements of the position, and mentoring should start in early school years [9]. Another effective practice for motivating students to engage in STEM fields later on is participation in non-formal learning programs [11]. These opportunities can be provided to students at all levels in places such as museums, science centers, zoos, botanical gardens [11], and university facilities. In this sense, educational visits—excursions to these places—can be considered a good practice. Therefore, it is important for teachers to encourage and organize these visits. Informal STEM learning experiences can also have a positive impact. For example, students can participate in STEM programs during the summer [6, 10], such as the See Blue See STEM model [10], as well as robotics, engineering, and science competitions [10, 49]. Interest in STEM subjects strongly influences individuals’ decisions about their studies and future careers [6], so it is important to encourage it.

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