What is STEM and is it Important?
Do you know what the acronym STEM stands for? Neither did I. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Each month, the Orange County Department of Education will post a newsletter with news and information on building 21st century skills in science, technology, engineering and math. (STEM Newsletter)
The first newsletter stated that according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, people with STEM degrees or certifications are in a prime position for employment in today’s economy. Workers with associate degrees in STEM fields out-earn 63 percent of people who have bachelor’s degrees in other fields. And almost half of workers with bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields out-earn workers with Ph.D.’s in other fields. Are these the degrees of the future? Can America offer programs that make our students competitive in today’s workforce? Technical skills have “become the common currency of the labor market,” much the same way a liberal arts education was seen as a basic requirement for high-paying jobs in past years.
Be sure to connect to the web site and learn more about 21st century learning and the employment opportunities associated with the STEM degrees.
