The shortage of workers with STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills means that too many jobs go unfilled even as too many Washingtonians need jobs. The mismatch is the them of a good op-ed by AWB president Don Brunell in the the Bellingham Herald.
Simply put, employers need people proficient in science, technology, engineering and math.
The job prospects for skilled workers with these core competencies are exceptional. STEM jobs are expected to grow by 17 percent through 2018, compared with 10 percent for the rest of the labor market. According to Georgetown University, STEM workers also earn about 26 percent more than non-STEM workers.
Given that Washington state is poised to have an increased demand for workers with STEM-related skills, efforts should be made to strengthen STEM programs at the high school and two-year college level.
The article identifies the positive role that community and technical colleges can play … and the positive return on the state’s investment in skills training and education.
In our Thrive Washington report on economic development, we similarly recommended:
Expand STEM education. Improvements can be made across the board in the state’smassive education and training portfolio. The most immediate concern is thestate’s poor performance in educating anadequate workforce to meet the demands of our growing STEM fields, making the state’s businesses highly dependent on out-of-state recruiting.
With education finance likely to dominate the coming and (we hope) waning days of the legislative session, the discussion must include a focus on meeting the clear and immediate demand for STEM-educated employees, for the sake of the economy and to expand opportunities for students and the unemployed.
Washington Research Council 