EVEN THOSE WHO DO NOT PURSUE WORK IN STEM FIELDS

WILL NEED SOME LITERACY IN THESE AREAS IN ORDER TO

NAVIGATE ISSUES SUCH AS POLICY, CLIMATE, HEALTH, AND
TECHNOLOGY.
STEM KNOWLEDGE EXTENDS BEYOND A CAREER; ITS
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE.
WHY IT MATTERS
WHAT WE CAN DO
Triggering students interest in pursuing more technical fields begins in schools. There are
many effective strategies for engaging students and improving their performance in STEM
subjects:
OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, GROWTH IN STEM JOBS WAS 3X GREATER THAN THAT OF NON-STEM JOBS.
ON THE 2009 PROGRAM FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT (PISA), THE U.S. RANKED:
WORKERS WHO HOLD STEM DEGREES ENJOY HIGHER EARNINGS REGARDLESS OF OCCUPATION
AND WORKERS IN STEM OCCUPATIONS:
75% of all college students are women and students of color, but they represent only 45% of
STEM degrees earned each year.
ARE LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE
JOBLESSNESS.
COMMAND 26% HIGHER WAGES THAN
NON-STEM WORKERS.
Interdisciplinary
project-based
learning
Real-world learning
through internships,
mentors
Teachers trained to
work in specific
STEM disciplines
Opportunities
for college
instruction during
high school years
STEM
FOR THE AGES
THE VALUE OF EDUCATING STUDENTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
STEM FOR THE AGES STEM FOR THE AGES
99% of STEM school graduates enroll in college within one year of high school while 79%
complete college in four years.
75%
45%
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN EDUTOPIA AND COLUMN FIVE
TO LEARN ABOUT INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR STEM TEACHING AND LEARNING, GO TO: EDUTOPIA.ORG/STEM-STRATEGIES
80% of the fastest growing occupations in the United States depend upon
mastery of mathematics and scientific knowledge and skills, but students
are not currently equipped to satisfy this growing need.
2000-2010 2008-2018
STEM EMPLOYMENT NON-STEM EMPLOYMENT
7.9%
17%
9.8%
2.6%
1 YEAR 4 YEARS
COMPUTER
PROGRAMMERS
PHYSICISTS PETROLEUM
ENGINEERS
SURVEY TECH. FOREST TECH. ENGINEERING
MANAGERS
SALES REP.
COLLEGE STUDENTS
STEM DEGREES
WOMEN AND STUDENTS OF COLOR
STEM
0
0
.8
0
99% 79%
34 34
MATH SCIENCE
1. REPUBLI C OF KOREA
2. FI NLAND
3. SWI TZERLAND
1. FI NLAND
2. JAPAN
3. REPUBLI C OF KOREA
24TH
17TH
80%
Sources Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation | Career Academy Support
Network | Journal of Engineering Education | National Research
Council | Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development |
Presidents Commission on STEM Learning Engagement | Presidents
Council of Advisors on Science and Technology | The Information
Technology and Innovation Foundation | U.S. Department of
Commerce | U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics