It's no secret that the United States has continued to come up short in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) - in the classroom and in the job market. This is especially true for women and minorities. Historically, the U.S. has led the world in technological and scientific advances, but with recent STEM education concerns on the rise, it appears that something must be done if the U.S. wants to maintain this reputation. Nonetheless, there is some good news here! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM fields are expected to add 2.7 million new jobs by 2018. Even now, when just mentioning the economy makes people shudder, job opportunities abound for careers in STEM.
So what about the young people and future generations here? Since publishing the congressionally mandated report, "Rising above the Gathering Storm" in 2005, the government has made improving STEM education in U.S. schools a huge priority. One can only hope that taking on the STEM challenge will lead to a brighter future for all. To read more about meeting the STEM challenge, read Warren E. Leary's analysis.
