By Daniel Benjamin
Dean, School of Science and Technology at American Public University
It’s hard to imagine, but there’s a significant shortage of workers with STEM credentials and skills needed to fill the STEM jobs that are available even in this downturned economy. More alarming is that the workforce skills gap is only expected to worsen over time. As a practical example, I recently searched the tech employment website Dice.com, which has over 80,000 open Information Technology (IT) jobs.
I believe that the following primary factors are contributing to the STEM gap:
- The rapid transition to a high-tech society
- The qualified workforce is being depleted by retiring baby boomers
- Colleges producing STEM graduates are not keeping pace with demand
- There are cultural biases against seeking STEM education
The shortage is not just a national problem; it’s a global one. According to the Business Higher-Education Forum (BHEF) report, “A Commitment to America’s Future: Responding to the Crisis in Mathematics and Science Education,” there will be a shortage of 283,000 math and science teachers by the year 2015. President Obama discussed the baby boomer issue in his 2011 State of the Union address and highlighted the need for 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math teachers over the next 10 years. Across the pond the British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology also expressed concern that U.K. schools are not producing enough STEM graduates to fill the workforce skills gap according to the July 2012 report, “Higher Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.”
Partnerships and initiatives like BHEF, the Science and Technology Committee (Lords), and the newly announced president’s plan to establish the STEM Master Teaching Corps, were established specifically to tackle this global dilemma. And higher education has taken notice. The School of Science and Technology at American Public University (APU) addresses the national and global shortage by offering 11 degree programs and 24 certificates programs in Environmental Science, Information Technology, Information Security, and Space Studies. APU partners with industry advisory councils to ensure that the STEM curriculum is relevant and meeting marketplace needs. The 18-credit certificate program also provides just-in-time education for those whom already have a degree and need to get credentialed in contemporary topics.
Culturally speaking, the next step is to positively influence attitudes of our youth to better help them understand STEM. Many high-tech companies like Microsoft launched initiatives that enable teachers to teach STEM disciplines and motivate high school students to seek related careers. Northrup Grumman recently invested in informational campaigns designed to reach underserved populations and inform them about STEM both at K–12 and college levels. Additionally, Washington STEM, a statewide nonprofit organization, invested an initial $2.4 million with various educators to innovate and improve STEM education statewide. Thanks to donating organizations like Microsoft, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Boeing, Washington STEM already raised $20 million and plans to raise another $100 million over the next 10 years.
Even though the graduate population holding STEM degrees has not met demand in the U.S., enrollment in STEM disciplines remains strong in Asian countries like India where U.S. employers often outsource work. The U.S. established a flexible B1 visa policy to connect employers with qualified Asian engineers and IT professionals to fill STEM positions. Additionally, the U.S. partners with the Indian Institutes of Technology to tap into their advanced research in STEM disciplines.
All of these collaborative efforts reflect the fact that education is and will continue to be a primary tool for helping to build the next generation of multi-skilled professionals. It will also require flexible and affordable access to universities offering STEM degrees. As institutions increase their focus on promoting and providing quality STEM education they’ll help to gradually and steadily abate this seemingly insurmountable shortage of credentials in the global workforce.
About the Author:
As the School of Science and Technology Dean, Mr. Benjamin led in the establishment of the department and its curriculum at American Public University. He’s a foremost IT and management education leader drawing on an extensive consulting career in the public and private sectors. His clients include the White House, Senate, Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Education. Mr. Benjamin is a sitting member of the University’s Academic Integrity Committee and authored books on Java and Oracle published by Element-K and McGraw-Hill Professional.
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