Policy and the STEM Workforce System

Amidst growing uneasiness around the United States’ ability to compete with India, China and other nations, the Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology (CPST) issued a report in 2007 on the state of the nation’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce and the policy implications surrounding it. The report, Policy and the STEM Workforce System, calls on policymakers to develop a healthy STEM workforce system on the whole.

The report followed nearly three years of data analysis designed to package reliable statistics on the U.S. STEM workforce. Collectively, these reports were known as the “STEM Workforce Data Project.” These data assess trends around employment; the participation of women, minorities, and foreign-born individuals; salaries; degree production; and employment forecasts, among others.

Policy and the STEM Workforce System analyzes these trends and summarizes the key elements of a healthy STEM workforce system including the rewards and risks that substantially impact the attractiveness of STEM professions. For example, between 2001 and 2006 enrollments in bachelor’s programs in computer science dropped 40%. Increased risk for job loss in IT due to offshoring and other issues was a major factor in students shying away. Likewise, the changing nature of employment relations can have an impact on how attractive an individual field may be. With more employers moving toward “on-demand” employment and an expectation of short employee tenure, there is less incentive to invest in continuing education. This leaves STEM professionals especially vulnerable since keeping up with the pace of technology is critical to their employability.

The report highlights the policy levers that affect the STEM workforce system, including:

• Federal research funding
• Scholarships
• Government procurement
• Subsidizing continuing education
• Improving participation rates among women and underrepresented minorities
• Immigration policies
• On-ramps and re-entry into STEM careers
• Improving labor market signals

According to the report, employers have long lamented the limited supply of domestic STEM talent, while universities have issued stark warnings about a decreasing flow of new students. Meanwhile, although efforts have been made to encourage women and underrepresented minorities -- collectively, the majority -- to enter STEM fields, it is clear that more effort is needed. At the same time, many STEM workers, particularly older ones, report unemployment and underemployment.

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