From a broader viewpoint, as of 2011, 26 million U.S. jobs—20 percent of all jobs—require a high level of knowledge in any one STEM field [1]. In other words, many workers outside or S&E occupations have STEM training or use related knowledge and skills in their jobs.

Not all workers need formal college-level skills, but they do need to master a specific body of knowledge, and STEM knowledge and skills are in demand.

The opportunities in STEM are extensive, and the pathways to STEM careers are more numerous than we once considered.

In order to solve the Grand Challenges we reviewed earlier in this module, and to meet the workforce demands of our time, we must:

1. Transform our perspective of the STEM workforce,
2. Introduce STEM careers to every student, and
3. Inspire the next generation of problem-solvers to acquire and value STEM skills and knowledge that will change the world.

1. Sources Rothwell, J., 2013, The Hidden STEM Economy, Washington, DC: Brookings.