However, Long said, “too often the opportunity to learn and to be inspired by STEM is not available. The study of STEM subjects, she continued, teaches critical-thinking skills, and instills a mindset that will help students find success across numerous areas and disciplines. STEM fields demand curious individuals eager to solve the world’s most pressing problems.” In Massachusetts alone, “40 percent of all employment revolves around innovation industries, such as clean energy, information technology, defense and advanced manufacturing,” said Long.īut, she added, “the importance of STEM education is about so much more than just jobs. In addition, STEM jobs are projected to grow an additional 11 percent from 2020 to 2030. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which shows employment in STEM occupations has grown 79 percent in the past three decades.
The need for a vast, talented workforce in STEM-related fields has never been more necessary, said Bridget Long, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. These new ways of learning, they said, can ultimately expand access to STEM education and create a more inclusive and equitable STEM workforce. They then discussed ways the gap could be closed, pointing to online learning and the rapid advancement of new digital tools as ways to make STEM education more readily available.
But as the need grows for a specialized STEM-focused workforce, it’s becoming clear that not everyone has an equal opportunity.ĭuring the Harvard-sponsored talk, “New Pathways to STEM,” panelists cited a large subset of students who are not being fully prepared for STEM careers. The evolution and impact of STEM education and its accompanying career opportunities reflect a positive in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
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