In Demand STEM-Educated Employees - CareerAlley

In Demand STEM-Educated Employees - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have always been critical to the prosperity and success of the United States. For centuries, weve celebrated our most famous inventors and innovators from Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. For each well-known name, there are countless men and women who have worked behind the scenes to send us into outer space, develop life-saving pharmaceuticals, and create the everyday technologies like the microwave that we take for granted. We may not have always referred to these endeavors as STEM, but they are accurately representative of what STEM-driven education can do. Todays World There is a high demand for qualified STEM workers here in the United States, and in countries around the world. Its not surprising when you consider that there is a direct correlation between STEM-based industries and economic development. Experts attribute at least half of Americas economic growth over the past 50 years to new technology and advancements made in these fields. Todays economy presents a challenge for the United States as we strive to preserve our countrys reputation for innovation and leadership in a global economy. In order to remain competitive, the country needs a steady stream of STEM workers. People who have the creativity, knowledge and passion for discovery have the potential to create new advancements that can literally change and improve the human condition while also adding economic value to our nation. Not everyone has what it takes to commit to years of formal study and hands-on learning. Those who do can look forward to a successful career as a scientist, engineer, mathematician or technology expert. A Worthwhile Endeavor Data released by the United States Census Bureau in early 2012 showed some encouraging trends: * People with even the minimum of an associates degree in a STEM field earn more than those with a liberal arts bachelors degree. * An adult with an associates degree in engineering earned an average of $4,800 monthly (2009). * More than 30 percent of Americans ages 25+ have earned at least a bachelors degree. * Approximately 4.5 million adults hold a bachelors degree in engineering. * Of the estimated 56 million Americans with at least a bachelors degree, 35 percent have a degree in a STEM field. The one employment factor that hasnt changed is the low representation of women working in STEM fields. Men hold nearly 90 percent of all engineering degrees, outnumbering women at a ratio of 3 to 1 in the other STEM disciplines. Younger women (under 40) are making headway, earning approximately 20 percent of engineering degrees thereby doubling the number of their female predecessors. What Next? In Forbes magazines annual survey of the best (and worst) masters degrees for jobs in 2012 and beyond, the T in STEM was at the top. Computer science ranked as the number two best advanced degree for jobs, with mid-career median pay for graduates coming in at approximately $109,000. Better yet, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (as quoted by Forbes) indicates that employment opportunities for those with a computer science degree are expected to expand about 22 percent between now and 2020. Electrical engineering and physics degrees also appeared in the top 10 of Forbes survey. Workers who earned one of these degrees average a mid-career salary of more than $110,000 a year. Biology and chemistry were lower in the list, but that should not dissuade anyone who is passionate about those sciences. After all, the point of pursuing a masters degree is not just about immediate short-term gain. Its about the opportunities that can arise over the long term, including the chance to achieve a greater level of job satisfaction. And thats something money cant buy. Author Byline: Laura Mingo writes in the field of higher education. This article aims to offer career advice for university students in relation to IT and promotes the benefits of advanced study regarding a computer information systems degree. Sources:http://www.pbs.org/teachers/stem/http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/stem-education/2012/02/24/stem-associates-degree-pays-better-than-liberal-arts-bachelorshttp://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/06/08/the-best-and-worst-masters-degrees-for-jobs-2/ This is a Guest post. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey