Building a Diverse and Sustainable STEM Workforce

Description

When the term “STEM” was coined nearly 20 years ago, businesses were worried about filling jobs and the government was concerned about losing national strength. And everyone agreed that the STEM workforce did not reflect the diversity of the broader workforce. Some things have changed since then—and some haven’t.

By some estimates, nearly 2.4 million STEM jobs go unfilled, despite paying significantly more than non-STEM jobs. The federal government spends $4.3 billion each year on STEM education and training efforts. The proportion of African Americans earning a degree in STEM is nearly unchanged in 20 years. This session will allow participants to explore the current state of STEM, identifying your own role in the STEM talent ecosystem, the critical talent gaps, and lessons learned about what works in closing those gaps.

Learning Outcomes

• Identify your own role and possible connections in the STEM talent ecosystem
• Apply the STEM talent gaps most relevant to your own organization
• Redefine the approach to measure success in your own investments