Encourage STEM training to fill jobs of the future

By Mark Edwards

More and more American manufacturers are investing in the development of homegrown talent, but within this positive news is a troubling trend. A study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce found that "by 2022, the United States will fall short by 11 million the necessary number of workers with postsecondary education ... including bachelor's degrees, vocational certificates, and associate's degrees."

As the liaison between the public workforce system and Philadelphia-area manufacturers, Philadelphia Works can attest to the growing "skills gap" that threatens our ability to train and hire local residents for lucrative jobs in a growing industry. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's recent Business Outlook Survey affirms this growth, with manufacturing employers reporting regional factory activity in July at the highest level in more than three years, with sustained growth over the past five consecutive months. These are not the manufacturing jobs of old, as the advent of science and technology has led to positions that more resemble a white-collar laboratory than a factory. Yet competitive salaries and desirable working environments do not seem to be enough to attract young people into the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing (STEM) careers. And this problem will only be exacerbated in the next five to 10 years by the coming wave of baby boomer retirements.

Federal, state, and local legislators have taken notice; the signing of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, increases in Pennsylvania education funding for STEM-specific projects, and directives from Mayor Nutter's manufacturing task force will provide more training opportunities for young people in Philadelphia and across the state. But this isn't enough in the long-term to inspire children to go into STEM careers. We need to start engaging children in early elementary school and continue throughout high school. Parents, teachers, and others also need to know that today's manufacturing jobs offer competitive wages and meaningful career paths. These options should be carefully considered when advising young people about secondary and postsecondary training.

We need storytellers - teachers, program representatives, and working professionals - to show children that STEM careers can be fun and cool. We have more than 160,000 people employed in the manufacturing sector in the Philadelphia region who are developing high-tech equipment and creating innovative solutions to the world's problems. These individuals need to be on the front lines in recruiting children for STEM careers. Employees can get involved in their local school district's career days or through other presentations to students. Employers should give workers time off to visit local schools. And school leaders should consider adding a separate career day devoted specifically to STEM careers.

The last and possibly most important directive is for parents. They should do away with the traditional notion that the only lucrative career paths for their children are doctor, lawyer, or financial planner. These short-sighted beliefs will ultimately hinder our ability to fill jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering. Parents need to understand that the next generation of job seekers will find gainful employment and competitive salaries in STEM-focused careers. We must do all we can to encourage youths, and especially girls and women, to embrace science and technology as lucrative career paths.

The road to prosperity begins with our youngest generation, and we need to do more to light the fuse of inspiration for young Americans to become the future world leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.