Do We Really Need More STEM Grads?

STEM

Do We Really Need More STEM Grads?

Sep 4, 2013

STEM-POCALYPSE NOW: Seems that governments everywhere are pumping money into STEM programs like Science itself is going out of style...but is it? Not quite, according to a recent piece in the IEEE Spectrum. Based on data gathered from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce, the article finds that there is a mismatch between STEM degrees and STEM careers. Of the 15 million STEM degree holders in the U.S., only 3.6 million go into a career in STEM. (The author admits that the numbers can be fudged tremendously depending on recession and how researchers define a STEM career). The piece goes on to explain how almost half of STEM careers are filled by employees with no degree in STEM. (We humanities majors find a way, it seems).

So where is all this STEM anxiety coming from? The articles points to a cyclical boom and bust cycle based on fear of competing nations (in this case India and China) that has been happening since World War II. Companies also have a vested interest in keeping the talent pool large and universities benefit from taxpayers subsidizing more STEM education.

Learn more about EdSurge operations, ethics and policies here. Learn more about EdSurge supporters here.

More from EdSurge

Get our email newsletterSign me up
Keep up to date with our email newsletterSign me up