Unemployment in the U.S. is at its highest since the mid-80’s, college graduates are struggling to find jobs in their respective fields, and the so-called ‘American Dream’ is slipping farther out of reach. Yet, there are 3.2 million available jobs in this country in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. Right now. Today. This moment.
Unemployment in the U.S. is at its highest since the mid-80’s, college graduates are struggling to find jobs in their respective fields, and the so-called ‘American Dream’ is slipping farther out of reach. Yet, there are 3.2 million available jobs in this country in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. Right now. Today. This moment.
Moreover, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 63% of those with only associate’s degrees in STEM earn more than those with bachelor’s degrees in non-STEM occupations. In addition, 47% of those with bachelor’s degrees in STEM occupations earn more than Ph.D.s in non-STEM occupations. Also, there is a much smaller salary gap between men and women in STEM fields than in other occupations. Nevertheless, 3.2 million STEM jobs go unfilled because there are not the qualified applicants to fill them.
With these facts as a backdrop, you would think that every kid in America would be scrambling to take a STEM major. Wrong. One study showed that nearly half of high school students surveyed say they will most likely not pursue a STEM-related degree. Whom then can we get to qualify for these high-paying, readily available, yet evidently not very popular jobs?
Answer: Hispanics.
Keep Reading: Forbes – Are Hispanics America’s Next Great STEM Innovators?