Howard Community College

ARE WE EQUAL TO THE STEM EDUCATION CHALLENGE? < < < and math teachers. And they are an excellent pipeline for and technical consulting. According to a report by Georgetown underrepresented minorities." University's Center on Education and the Workforce, 8 million jobs "Our enrollment in STEM majors is increasing each year," will be available in STEM-related fields by 2018. reports Professor Daniel Friedman, chair of HCC's science and technology division. "We're offering important scholarships that High Stakes enable students to spend more time on studying and learning When it comes to having a STEM-educated workforce, and less time working. The number of students going from HCC Maryland and Howard County have a lot at stake with such close to four-year colleges in science, engineering, and technology is proximity to key government agencies. There are projections that also growing. There are more avenues open, more career paths 20,000 to 40,000 new jobs – many requiring technical expertise for students to take. It's an exciting time." – could be created by the National Security Agency, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Defense Information Systems Agency, the new U.S. Cyber Command headquarters and, over the next five years, the Fort Meade Base Realignment and 15 of the 20 fastest growing occupations Closure (BRAC) activities. through 2018 will require significant concentrations of technology jobs in the country. The Maryland science and math preparation. As a matter of fact, Maryland has one of the highest Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) issued a report, "Cyber Maryland," which says that "Maryland enjoys a substantial advantage in IT jobs, particularly those related to cyber security." DBED named Maryland second in the nation in professional and technical workers as a percentage Understanding math and science is a critical survival skill of the workforce, with more than 220,000 workers employed in the world today. Many jobs today require proficiency with in professional scientific and technical service industries. budgeting, forecasting, estimation, and use of computers – in However, says DBED, the state is experiencing a shortage of other words, a basic math and technology literacy level. This highly qualified STEM workers and is producing approximately requirement poses a critical challenge to institutions of learning. 4,000 STEM graduates a year to fill 6,000 STEM openings. Hand-in-hand with the burgeoning importance of a math and In its September 2009 report, "Maryland's Emerging tech-savvy population comes the essential need for advanced, Workforce: Opportunities for Youth Success," the Governor's sophisticated STEM education. Workforce Investment Board – Emerging Workforce Committee According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 15 stated that the introduction of tens of thousands of new technical of the 20 fastest growing occupations through 2018 will require jobs "presents the state with both a challenge to proactively significant science and math preparation. In addition, one-third prepare a highly-skilled and highly-educated labor force to fill of the total job openings and half of the new jobs projected for these current and future openings, and an opportunity to refocus that period will require a post-secondary degree. and better align our education and training systems in ways that The BLS Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections Program reports that employment in information technology prepare workers to meet the demands of Maryland's thriving technology-driven economy." occupations is expected to increase by 24 percent, or more than The statistics tell us what the job market requires, but how do 800,000 jobs, compared with a 10 percent increase for all occupations. we capture the interest of those future members of the workforce And 2 of the 10 industries projected to have the most employment and properly prepare them? "If we're not getting a good selection growth are computer systems design, and management, scientific of our students into STEM education, our economy and quality 4 Pathways | Howard Community College Spring 2011

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