Business-led informal STEM outreach: bridging industry, education, and workforce development

This qualitative case study introduces and explores the emerging concept of business-led informal STEM outreach (BISO), a growing yet understudied approach to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) engagement in which businesses engage students in hands-on learning experiences designed to foster STEM interest and align community outreach with workforce development needs. Industry professionals bring valuable technical expertise and enthusiasm to these programs, offering students exposure to emerging STEM technologies and career pathways. However, as BISO programs continue to grow, there is an opportunity to enhance their educational impact by supporting facilitators in applying student-centered instructional strategies. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, this study examines how one BISO program fosters or limits students’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness-three psychological needs critical for sustaining intrinsic motivation and long-term STEM engagement. Findings suggest that facilitators supported motivation by offering engaging, hands-on activities, introducing career pathways, and creating a welcoming environment that acknowledged students’ personal experiences. Results also highlight the opportunities to further improve learning experiences through targeted professional development focused on instructional scaffolding and engagement strategies for BISO facilitators. Given the limited scope of this study, future research should examine BISO programs with larger and more diverse samples to better understand how facilitator training influences student engagement and learning outcomes. By defining BISO as a distinct category of informal STEM education, this study contributes to ongoing discussions on the role of industry in STEM learning and workforce development.