Not only is there a shortage of people pursuing STEM-related careers today, but few people are looking to acquire STEM jobs in the future. This places a huge responsibility on primary educators, not simply to foster a love of science from an early age, but also to encourage longer-term aspirations among children. Researchers have discovered that a key influence on aspiration was the amount of "science capital" a family has. Part of what defines science capital is whether a family knows someone with a science-related job. Teachers are asking if children are sufficiently exposed to "shop talk" at home, and even wonder if children even know about different jobs. Seeley points out that in order to interest children in STEM careers, adults need to talk about the world of work, and they also need to clarify and explain what goes on there in a way that is accessible, inspirational, and relevant. This article looks at STEM education in the context of the Big ideas and ASPIRES projects that enable children to see the whole story of how a product is made through the eyes of people that put it together.