Analysis: By 2022, America Will Need 1 Million More College Grads With STEM Training Than We Are on Track to Produce
Change is an essential part of life, and fearing the unknown or different is essentially fearing life itself. Teddy Roosevelt’s words ring true even today, as we live in a time of significant change and endless possibilities. One area where this change is most evident is in the transformation of America’s workforce due to automation and rapid technological advancements, which are reshaping the global economy.
These forces of change have sparked national discussions on how to prepare our students for the evolving nature of work and how to seize the opportunities presented by the 21st-century economy.
As the economy continues to evolve, we must adapt along with it, creating a workforce that is ready to meet the demands of this new era. This is our chance to build a workforce that will thrive not just for a few years but throughout their entire lives.
At the heart of the opportunities and challenges we face in a global economy are the growing importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills. In fact, 10 out of the 14 fastest-growing industries require STEM training. To keep up with the projected demand for STEM jobs, the United States will need to produce an additional 1 million college graduates with STEM training by 2022.
Furthermore, traditional middle-skills jobs that used to only require a high school diploma now demand a stronger background in STEM. Consequently, industries are currently experiencing a shortage of qualified candidates for these skilled positions.
However, most attempts to address this issue have focused on short-term solutions, such as rapidly training individuals to fill existing jobs. To truly solve this problem, we need a long-term approach.
With the rapid pace of technological advancement, it’s highly likely that a job that can be easily learned in a few months may become automated in a couple of years. The World Economic Forum predicts that 65 percent of children entering primary school today will have jobs that do not yet exist. Therefore, it will be crucial to adapt our foundational skills to new settings.
To prepare future generations of workers for the changes that lie ahead, we must invest in developing their fundamental skills from an early age. This investment should begin in kindergarten and continue throughout high school and beyond. In order to thrive in the 21st-century economy, K-12 teachers must focus on teaching STEM skills and imparting critical thinking, creativity, and careful problem solving.
That’s why we are both committed to a collaborative national effort called 100Kin10, which aims to recruit and train 100,000 exceptional K-12 STEM teachers by 2021. Strengthening K-12 STEM education is the most effective long-term investment we can make to prepare our nation for the challenges of the future. 100Kin10 is driven by a diverse coalition of leading organizations and businesses, including the New York City Department of Education, the American Federation of Teachers, Google, Chevron, the UTeach Institute, and nearly 300 others. All of these entities recognize the urgency of this moment and share a stake in preserving America’s global competitiveness.
In the past, America has faced similar shifts. When automation reduced the need for farmworkers in the early 20th century, the country introduced universal high school education to prepare children for the jobs of the future. By expanding our vision and investing in new skillsets for kids, the nation reaped the benefits.
Now, we find ourselves facing a similar shift driven by economic realities. History teaches us that we must ensure our schools teach the skills that will drive tomorrow’s economy. This is our opportunity to set up our workforce for lifelong success, far beyond the next few years.
Nevertheless, we should not neglect mid-career training programs for workers who need to develop new skills. These programs are crucial for individuals like coal miners in West Viriginia or unemployed car assemblers in Ohio. However, we can and must simultaneously help existing workers acquire new skills and foundational STEM knowledge, while also ensuring that recent high school graduates possess the adaptability and skills necessary for the future.
To address these issues, we must take a long-term approach. We need a sustainable strategy for workforce development that not only responds to the changing needs of workers but also focuses on building a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for our younger generations.
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