STEM 101: Intro to tomorrow’s jobs
Abstract
The future of the economy is in
STEM,” says James Brown, the
executive director of the STEM
Education Coalition in Washington, D.C.
“That’s where the jobs of tomorrow will be.”
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) support that assertion.
Employment in occupations related to
STEM—science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics—is projected to grow to more
than 9 million between 2012 and 2022. That’s
an increase of about 1 million jobs over 2012
employment levels.
This article provides an overview of
STEM work, analyzing nearly 100 occupations from a list created by a committee
comprising several federal agencies. The first
section of the article offers a brief description
of the life and physical sciences, computer
science, engineering, and mathematics fields.
The second section includes data showing
selected STEM occupations with the most
employment and projected job openings
and growth. The third section discusses the
rewards and challenges of STEM work. The
fourth section describes how to prepare for a
career in a STEM field. Resources for more
information are listed at the end of the article.