If you ask a group of middle schoolers what they want to be when they grow up, you’ll usually get a mix of pretty traditional answers. But by the time those same students reach high school, the conversation shifts. As parents, we start worrying less about childhood dreams and more about practical realities. Will she find a career she actually enjoys? Will she be prepared for it? And, quite frankly, will she be able to find a good job without having to move halfway across the country?

If you live in Western New York, the answer to that last question is increasingly pointing toward “yes” — provided she has the right expertise.

Right now, our local economy is undergoing a significant shift. According to 2026 workforce forecasts for the Buffalo Niagara region, the tech and advanced manufacturing sectors are experiencing a surge. With initiatives like the Upstate NY Tech Corridor gaining momentum, regional employers are aggressively hunting for talent in cybersecurity, data analysis, automation, and engineering.

But there is a catch. The same data shows that local business leaders are struggling to find workers with the appropriate training to fill these modern roles. There’s a clear talent gap.

At Mount St. Mary Academy, we view that gap as an opportunity for our students. We know that preparing them for the future means keeping a close eye on the economy they’ll be graduating into. That’s why our STEAM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) isn’t just a collection of interesting electives. It’s targeted, intentional career preparation designed to match the needs of the modern job market.

Here’s how we connect the dots between our classrooms and the real world:

Hands-on Problem Solving (Without the Boys Taking Over) 

In a typical coed high school, it’s incredibly common to see a subtle gender divide in tech-heavy courses and clubs. Boys often gravitate toward the robotics equipment or the power tools, while girls might take a backseat, handling the notes or the design aesthetics.

At the Mount, that dynamic simply doesn’t exist. Our girls own the Makerspace. When our Robotics team heads over to the University at Buffalo to compete in the Bots Battle, every single line of code, every design decision, and every mechanical fix is executed by a young woman. When they compete in Tech Wars — where students have to engineer a cardboard boat capable of holding two people and paddling across a pool — they’re the ones doing the heavy lifting. They learn how to build, test, fail, and iterate.

This environment builds undeniable competence. They don’t just learn about engineering principles from a textbook. They physically apply them.

Digital Literacy as a Second Language 

Look at the local job boards, and you’ll quickly see that digital literacy is no longer just for software developers. It’s a requirement across almost every industry, from healthcare to finance. To meet that need, we offer courses like Introduction to Computer Science and Project STEAM.

Our students learn how to navigate 3D printing, write code, and use cutting-edge software. More importantly, they learn how to adapt to new technologies. The specific coding language they learn today might evolve by the time they graduate from college, but the logical reasoning and analytical skills they develop in our computer labs will serve them no matter where their careers take them.

Building the Soft Skills Employers Want 

Interestingly, when local tech employers are surveyed about what they need in new hires, technical skills are only half the equation. They’re desperately looking for soft skills: project management, adaptability, and the ability to collaborate in fast-paced environments.

Because STEAM at MSM is inherently project-based, our girls are constantly practicing these exact skills. Whether they’re coordinating a complex build for Science Olympiad or working through a tough AP Calculus equation together, they’re learning how to communicate effectively, manage a timeline, and lead a team.

We aren’t just teaching our students how to pass a science exam. We’re showing them how to step confidently into the innovative, high-paying jobs growing right in their own backyard. By giving them the tools, the tech, and the space to lead, we ensure that when local tech companies look for their next generation of leaders, they’ll find them right here at the Mount.