Welcome to STEM

Attracting, Developing and Retaining World-Class Talent

August 6-7, 2012 \\ Hyatt Regency Fisherman’s Wharf \\ San Francisco, CA

Scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians are workers driving innovation, coveted by companies around the globe. Their ranks are growing. In the last decade STEM jobs in the US grew by 7.9 percent to 7.6 million – three times the rate of other fields according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration. STEM jobs are expected to grow by 17 percent through 2018, compared with 9.8 percent for other jobs.

STEM workers have also been less affected by the economic downturn; in 2010 workers with STEM jobs had a 5.3 percent unemployment rate while non-STEM workers experienced an almost 10 percent unemployment rate. STEM workers earn 25 percent more than individuals in non-STEM fields. Their skills should be in even higher demand as the economy picks up and technically skilled Baby Boomers decide to retire.

Many U.S. business leaders worry that there is a coming STEM talent shortage and are working with academia to build their future talent pipeline. Increasing interest in STEM careers at the K-12 level and improving levels of engagement with minority, female and lower income students will be crucial if there is to be a higher supply of STEM grads. There’s also the matter of follow through at the collegiate level – studies have found that roughly "40 percent of students planning engineering and science majors end up switching to other subjects or failing to get any degree." Keeping STEM collegians on track must become a national priority.

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