Celebrating National STEM Day: Skilled Trades at Lincoln Tech

National STEM Day is November 8, 2025. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics which is the foundation of innovation and discovery across every industry. STEM isn't just about textbooks and formulas; it's about curiosity, creativity, and building the future. At Lincoln Tech, STEM isn't confined to classrooms, it's in the garage, the shop, and the lab. From Automotive and HVAC to CNC Machining and Welding, our students use science, technology, engineering, and math every single day to create, repair, and innovate.

Beyond the "Lab Coat" Stereotype

Lots of people think STEM = white coats, test tubes, rocket launches. But every time someone layers precision, logic, math and engineering into a job, even one with grease under the nails and a workbench in front of them, that's STEM. And that's exactly why roles in automotive, HVAC, welding, CNC machining and manufacturing deserve the spotlight.

Real-World STEM in Action

STEM isn't just confined to textbooks; it comes to life every day inside Lincoln Tech labs and classrooms. And with the need for skilled professionals on the rise, there's never been a better time to get involved: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow at twice the rate (10.8%) of overall employment (5.3%) through 2031¹. That means opportunities for skilled, technically trained graduates are expanding faster than ever. Our students don't just learn about science, technology, engineering, and math, they use them to build, diagnose, design, and create. Here's how each program turns STEM concepts into real-world skills that power entire industries.

Automotive Technology

Modern vehicles are more computer than carburetor, and that's where Lincoln Tech's Automotive Service Technology program shines. Students learn to navigate advanced diagnostic software, scan data systems, and troubleshoot everything from hybrid drivetrains to electric vehicles. They train on late-model cars using real-world tools found in professional garages, combining physics, math, and technology to bring engines back to life. Every spark, torque reading, and repair is grounded in scientific precision and technical creativity.

CNC Machining & Manufacturing

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) represents the perfect marriage of math, engineering, and design. Students learn G-Code programming, blueprint interpretation, and precision measurement while operating multi-axis mills and lathes. Lincoln Tech's CNC Machining and Manufacturing labs simulate production-floor environments, where trainees translate digital designs into tangible components with thousandths-of-an-inch accuracy. It's where geometry meets innovation, and students graduate ready to shape the modern manufacturing world.

Electrical & Electronics (EEST)

Electricity powers the world and Lincoln Tech's Electrical and Electronics Systems Technology (EEST) programs teach students to control it safely and effectively. Training covers circuit theory, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), wiring, and automation which is the same technologies driving modern infrastructure and smart systems. In hands-on labs, students wire residential and commercial circuits, program industrial controls, and even explore renewable-energy applications. It's applied physics with purpose. This the kind of STEM that literally lights up our world.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

STEM truly comes alive in Lincoln Tech's HVAC Technology training, where technology meets sustainability. Students study thermodynamics, pressure dynamics, and electrical circuitry to understand how energy moves and transforms. Inside Lincoln Tech's "Green House" learning labs, they troubleshoot real heating and cooling systems, test energy-efficiency models, and apply environmental science to create smarter comfort solutions. Every system they install is a balance of science, math, and problem-solving.

Welding & Fabrication

Behind every skyscraper, bridge, and pipeline lies the science of welding. Lincoln Tech's welding training programs teach students how metals react to heat, stress, and current, merging chemistry, physics, and geometry with steady-hand artistry. In advanced welding booths, they practice techniques like MIG, TIG, and flux-cored arc welding on a variety of metals, learning to read blueprints and fabricate parts to exact specifications. Welding is both art and engineering. Lincoln Tech helps students master both.

A New Definition of STEM Success

The future belongs to innovators who can do. STEM education is thriving in training centers, workshops, and labs across the country. Skilled trades professionals are scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians in motion who are solving real problems and building the systems that keep our world running.

So, this National STEM Day, let's celebrate every student and graduate who's turning their curiosity into a career. Because STEM isn't only about formulas or theory, it's about applying knowledge through hands-on skill.

¹ U.S. Census Bureau. "National STEM Day: November 8, 2024." America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers, 8 Nov. 2024, https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/stem-day.html.