In a descriptive article entitled, "A New National Education Imperative," published on October 9, 2013, on Atlantic Media's website, a new approach to education is suggested. STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, can provide American students with the ability to achieve future economic success, and promote the overall growth of our country.
An author for The Non-Profit Coalition STEM Advantage states, "Over the next decade, STEM-related job opportunities in the U.S. are expected to increase by nearly 17 percent." With our country's 7 plus percent unemployment, the number of workers with STEM skills could greatly increase the number of Americans going back into the work force; therefore, this would strengthen our economy. America has around 136,000,000 jobs that are currently occupied, and 14.9 million in 2012 with a 20.6 percent growth expected through 2018 will require STEM Education.
According to Michael Cohen, president of Achieve, a non-profit organization that advises states on many academic matters, "Jobs that require workers to possess technical engineering skills, but not a bachelor's degree - occupations such as mechanics, carpenters, and electricians - are available to American's with technical training, whether they are college educated or not." With such a wide use of these technical skills, the job market for STEM skills will be wide open for students of all backgrounds. The skills taught for students to qualify for these jobs are standardized across the country and are not different from state to state.
"The CORPS - which employs over 36,000 civilian employees world wide - needs more STEM-skilled workers," states Lt. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is necessary for the U.S. to ensure there are plenty of students engaged in STEM and ready for careers in engineering, natural science, and research and development. The implementation of STEM subjects in classrooms from pre-schools to universities is already showing positive results with students performing at higher levels in mathematics.
American students who learn and use STEM skills will make more money. Research shows that 8 of the top college majors with high income were in STEM fields. Employees in STEM jobs earn a wage up to 26 percent more than workers in non-STEM jobs. Not only do STEM jobs help the individual, they will also help our country's economy. Increasing American students proficiency in math to the levels achieved in other countries, like Canada and South Korea, makes it possible for the U.S. to increase our national yearly income by 75 trillion dollars over the next 80 years.
In conclusion, Our state governments should realize the importance of STEM education initiatives in order to ensure the connection between the education of our work force and the economic growth and development of our country.
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