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  • 1.  Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-03-2018 15:47
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    Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations have been propelled to the forefront of K–12 and postsecondary education. STEM occupations are the pillars that enable the United States to maintain its technological and economic advantage in an increasingly global economy. 

    There has been much discussion about the shortage or surplus of STEM workers; some experts say that there is a shortage of STEM workers, while others suggest a surplus exists. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the STEM shortage proponents are basing their opinion on anecdotal data, trade associations, lobbyists, and, among other factors, incorrect assumptions about STEM occupations and employers expressing concerns over the supply and availability of STEM workers. Nevertheless, many who argue about either the shortage or surplus have access to the same data, meaning perhaps their differing opinions could be a matter of their interpretation of the data. 

    This paper examines the STEM workforce in an effort to ascertain whether the notion of a STEM shortage is more of a mismatch in STEM skill set versus the skill set being sought to fill available openings. 

    The push by high-tech companies for more H1-B visas is also an indication that they are not finding the needed skills within the United States; therefore, companies looking to foreign countries for STEM workers with matching skills is an indication of a skills mismatch.

    • In 2016, there were 8.8 million STEM workers in the United States, representing 6.3% of the workforce. This means that 1 out of 18 workers was a STEM worker
    • The STEM workforce grew 18.7% from 2006–2016, representing 1.3 million new STEM jobs.
    • The STEM workforce projection for the next 10 years is down (12.6%) from 2006–2016 (18.7%), resulting in 1.1 million new jobs, which
    • means 195,000 fewer STEM jobs from the previous 10 years. 

    • More than half (60%) of  projected growth of STEM jobs from 2016–2026 is expected to be in computer occupations and engineering.

    • Of STEM workers, 73% have a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 36% for all other occupations with the same education attainment.

    • Fewer than 50% of those with a bachelor's STEM degree are employed in a STEM job. 

    • About one-third (33%) of STEM workers have a non-STEM degree.

    • STEM workers' average increase in wages was 0.4% from 2015 to 2016.

    • STEM workers' average increase in employment was 1.2% from 2015 to 2016.

    • The skill set mismatch might give the appearance of a STEM worker shortage.


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    David C. Wilson
    Founder/CEO
    Wilson Consulting Services, LLC
    Phone: 843-397-2124
    Email: dave@wilsonconsultingservices.net
    Website: www.wilsonconsultingservices.net
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    wcs_stem_17.pdf   4.05 MB 1 version


  • 2.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-06-2018 14:26
    A few questions, please -

    1. What is the source of your data and projections? I want to be sure we are "singing of the same sheet". Thank you!
    2. How do you define a STEM worker? If "73% have a bachelor's degree or higher", that means 27% of STEM workers have less than a  bachelor's degree. In my experience - partly but not entirely subjective, as I do some research and writing on the subject - a lot of claimed shortage is at the Master's Degree + level.  
    3. Thank you for your presentation of workforce data. Do you have data unfilled jobs, which therefore do not appear in the workforce?
    4. Please explain the difference you make between a "shortage" and a "mismatch". If I can't hire the r programmers I need because many people learned something else instead, so there aren't enough r programmers to go around, how is that not a shortage?  I am not seeing how your mismatch is not a shortage. 

    Thank you!

    David J Corliss, PhD
    Ford Motor Company / Manufacturing Forecasting



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-06-2018 15:23

    Hi,

    Please provide more information on the 'Mismatch Theory'.

    I actually ended up becoming a statistician because most of my engineering friends in college who were graduating could not find employment working as an engineer (granted the economy was terrible back then). At the time, I wanted to work (i.e. get paid) as an engineer but noticed that the skills the university was teaching was obviously not what the employers desired. Therefore, I surveyed a bunch of people who were currently employed as engineers locally and asked them 'What skills are most marketable for getting me hired ($$) to do engineering'. Everyone said statistics and programming or statistics and communication or statistics and [insert random skill]. Since every single employed engineer mentioned that I needed to learn statistics I focused my studies on statistics; and now employers actually want me for my skills! Moreover, I am happily and gainfully employed unlike some of my friends with degrees in engineering who have skills that are of questionable value to employer's lol.

    With respect to the H1B visa thing, I've heard (I don't know how true this is) it is at least partially to artificially create a surplus of people with the same qualification for positions employers will be needing. This is so the employers can pay the employees less (supply and demand! economics 101) And its also easier to take advantage of foreign employees.



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    Matthew Robinson
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-08-2018 12:44
    David,

    I would call what you describe as not having enough R programmers, but they can do the job in another language as a mismatch. If they CAN do the work but, NOT in your preferred language, that is a mismatch. A shortage would be the inability to find people that can do the work. 

    If you are having issues finding skilled R programers, talk to your HR department. Make sure they understand what you are looking for. The only times I've been given an interview with the hiring managers at Ford headquarters was to talk about my programming skills in Matlab and SAS. Meanwhile, some of my classmates without any R experience got hired to do data analysis at Ford. They have programing skills in other languages. They learned R on the job. 


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    Andrew Ekstrom

    Statistician, Chemist, HPC Abuser;-)
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-07-2018 13:52

    To the final paragraph before the list of bullet points, let me offer a second interpretation:

    The push by high-tech companies for more H1-B visas is also an indication that they are not finding the needed skills within the United States at a low-enough salary. Therefore, companies looking to foreign countries for STEM workers with matching skills is an indication of a financial-compensation mismatch.

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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-09-2018 07:41

    Also there is no information on track-record, experience, productivity, or work task complexity.  So another mismatch could involve being prepared to deal with really tough real world problems, with financial remuneration varying accordingly.




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Statistical Analysis of STEM Workers

    Posted 08-08-2018 12:43
    If you look at the salary survey done by the American Chemical Society, you'll find that new PhD chemists make nearly the same as a new BSE Chemical Engineering. In many cases, a person that worked at Starbucks for 5 years and made it to an assistant manager will make more than a BS chemist, ($28,000-$32,000). There are a lot of job openings in the Detroit-Ann Arbor area that want to hire MS biologists for roughly the same rate of pay. I'm guessing this is a sign of a surplus of talent in biology and Chemistry and a shortage of talent in chemical engineering.

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    Andrew Ekstrom

    Statistician, Chemist, HPC Abuser;-)
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    Original Message


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