STEM: Online Classes can Help Fix the STEM Gap
Are you familiar with the acronym STEM? It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. For the last few years, STEM has been all the buzz in academia as institutions of higher learning have urged more students to enroll in STEM courses, under the perception that the U.S. was falling behind in producing enough graduates in these fields to fill all the science and tech jobs that were being created.
Although new studies have questioned the STEM "crisis" and some experts are asking if there will be as many jobs in STEM fields as predicted in the near future, select STEM fields do appear to be offering solid opportunities for graduates in the U.S. It's important for STEM grads to understand that job availability may vary from one region to another, and that there will be ups and downs in the STEM fields, just like any business or industry.
Despite this more measured prognosis for jobs in the STEM field, it's good to remember that these newer studies have also indicated that graduates in STEM fields are likely to earn a slightly higher salary than grads in non-STEM jobs.
Why the Emphasis on STEM?
In 2012, the Program for International Student Assessment released some rather disturbing findings that American students ranked 27th in math and 20th in science, when compared to 65 education systems worldwide. While this sounds alarming, some critics of these findings point out the U.S. hasn't really fallen in the rankings but rather stayed about where it has always been.
Nevertheless, a major national effort was launched to improve performance of U.S. students in the STEM subjects. Schools across the country have been creating an abundance of initiatives in recent years to interest kids in STEM courses.
Companies have given financial support for these initiatives, or else have launched their own programs, and have awarded scholarships and other financial assistance to help students as they work at improving their scientific and technical literacy. The prevailing wisdom is that even students who do not follow the STEM path as a career can likely benefit from knowing more about science, technology, engineering and math -- particularly when it comes to computers and information technology.
It may be that a good grounding in STEM subjects is the new literacy for this country, as the need for us to be more tech savvy and more focused on quantitative results grows.
STEM and the Future
As our country's economy has shifted away from manufacturing -- that is, producing goods -- and turned more into a service economy, there has been a rise in the need for high-value technicians delivering advanced services, not only to consumers but also to businesses. While economic predictors say it is unlikely that there will be a shortage of scientists and researchers with graduate-level degrees, there may instead be higher demand for technicians. These technicians will need good grounding in math, computers, and science to succeed.
Other factors that will affect a STEM graduate's success in the future, as mentioned above, are which sector the graduate chooses and the geographic region where the grad is job hunting. For instance, engineering technology graduates may be in demand in one part of the country while not in another.
Further, STEM graduates will likely have a better chance of being employed when, as a job seeker, they can draw from a wider range of STEM skills -- say, computers AND engineering technology -- which will make them more versatile.
Online Education and the STEM Student
Online education can be the entry point into an exciting career in a STEM profession. By enrolling in an online program, those who might otherwise be locked out of higher education because of lack of proximity to a campus, lack of mobility, or work and/or family commitments that make it difficult to attend traditional college in a classroom, have an opportunity to earn a degree. Plus, the fact that the student can live at home and there's no commuting can help keep costs down.
An added advantage to enrolling in an online program is the development of fresh computer skills. Online students will learn to navigate learning management systems and new programs; they also will learn how to create and share documents, incorporate audio/video files into assignments, and participate in online training.
Are you interested in earning a degree in the STEM field but doing it completely online? If you want to learn more about ECPI University and our online classes, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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