Position Paper

READ THE PAPER: 

"The Hidden Opportunities within the STEM Workforce Pipeline

Reflections

Solving the STEM workforce pipeline crisis is an ongoing effort.  There are many examples of success in STEM Education and career-connected learning, and we need to find ways to identify and scale.  This paper originated from my desire to break down this complex issue into ‘Moments of Impact’ at the earliest ages that affect the direction of a student's STEM interest.  The desire is to look at each of these issues, and identify research-based solutions that can minimize the amount of time, effort, money and resources to implement.  Many solutions and best practices already exist.  They need to be identified and built for scale, not profit.  If they do not exist then a community of practice (CoP) can be formed to develop innovative solutions. 

Executive Summary

Imagine you're an eight-year-old passionate about science, forced to abandon learning through play for test prep.  Or, you’re fourteen, and reach high school lacking awareness of STEM careers, unable to access career-connected learning.  Now you’re eighteen and off to college, only to abandon your STEM major, or you earn your degree only to end up working outside your field.  Meanwhile, 69% of employers can't find talent because they lack the durable skills so desperately needed.  This is America's STEM workforce pipeline.  

“Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but it also allows the opportunity for creativity and growth” - Tom Barrett, politician and diplomat

The recent changes to our education system have created a state of uncertainty and instability, which presents a unique moment in time to change systemic design failures that can be accomplished within existing budget, people and resource constraints.  

This analysis of research, mostly from 2015-2025, identifies five opportunities in the STEM workforce pipeline to create “Moments of Impact” that can change the direction of a student's STEM education pathway.