governor mary fallin’s s tem ummit. dr. stephen mckeever

Governor Mary Fallin’sSTEMumm i t

Dr. Stephen McKeever

A STEM-educated Workforce: Why it is important to Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Industry Ecosystem:

The main wealth generating businesses in Oklahoma are found in*:

• Aerospace and Defense• Energy• Agriculture & Biosciences• Information Technology & Finance• Transportation & Distribution

*Oklahoma’s Economic Development Initiative, 2013; Department of Commerce

All are STEM or STEM-related business sectors.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

ent

100

25

15.559

75% Lossbetween HS and College

A further 38% Loss

A further43% Loss A further

46% Loss

The STEM Workforce Pipeline : US National Data

Data from: “STEM”, Carneville et al., 2011; Georgetown Center on Education and Workforce

Net Loss, or Diversion,from STEM, between HS

and 10-yr post graduation: 95%

Students who are judged capable of a STEM career

based on HS qualifications Students who enter

College to study STEM

Students who graduatewith a BS in STEM

BS STEM graduateworking in STEM careers

BS STEM graduateworking in STEM

careers after 10 years

Oklahoma Data

53,656 students enrolled (in public colleges) in STEM subjects in 2010-11 (OSRHE: “Degrees of Progress”, 2012 Annual Report)

If ZER0 drop out or change subject, there would therefore be 53,656 STEM graduates after 5-6 years.

However, in 2011-12 Oklahoma (public colleges) graduated 5,297 students in the same STEM disciplines.

Assume the same graduation rate for next 6 years, expect 31,782 STEM graduates.

This represents a drop-out/diversion rate of 40% - comparable to national statistics (38%)

Oklahoma Data

Oklahoma’s DEMAND for a STEM-educated workforce:

• Average STEM job growth expected to be 6,712 per year for the next 10 years. (Nationally: 9,023 per year)– But, what STEM jobs exactly? How are STEM jobs defined?

• Over same period, Oklahoma expected to replace 54% of existing STEM workforce. – What are the reasons for this non-retention?

• 94% of STEM jobs will require some college experience– Again, how are STEM jobs defined?

• 70% of all STEM occupations will require a bachelor’s degree or higher – How are STEM jobs defined?

Oklahoma’s SUPPLY of a STEM-educated workforce:

• STEM graduates (associates degrees and up) from Oklahoma institutions of higher education were 5,910 in 2010-2011• But in what subjects? Are they the right subjects for

Oklahoma?• High percentage of these leave state (or country)• How many?

• Some divert to other non-STEM careers• How many?

• Career Tech Certificates• How many in STEM Fields?• How many of these already have college STEM degrees?• How many are already employed in STEM jobs?

Oklahoma Data

What We Need for Oklahoma

• Reconcile Supply versus Demand data– Exactly how many STEM-qualified workers are needed?– In what areas?– With what Qualifications?

• Education and Industry need to work on this problem together– Identify the under-supply areas (and the over-supply areas)– Identify why graduates (and workers) leave STEM fields– Identify solutions

Create a joint strategy for Oklahoma’s STEM Workforce future

Why such a large Dropout/Diversion rate?

Are the students well-enough prepared when they enter college?

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 201219

20

21

22

23

24Science ACT

One of Oklahoma'sleading Public HS

National Average

Oklahoma Average

NCLB EOI RTTT

PhysicsAP PhysicsChemistryAP ChemistryBiologyAP BiologyGeneticsMicrobiologyEnvironmental Sci.+ 5 Foreign Languages

PhysicsAP PhysicsChemistryAP ChemistryBiology+ 2 Foreign Languages

At OSU 7-8% of incoming Freshman require remedial classes, most of whom require remedial Math

Why such a large Dropout/Diversion rate?

Do students understand what careers are possible with STEM qualifications?

Do students understand what STEM courses are needed at HS to attain those careers?

Typically, young students love dinosaurs, space, etc.? Why/when/howdo they lose their interest in science?

Our Purpose Today

• Start a state-wide dialogue about STEM issues.

• Ask: what needs to be done? What can be done?

• Ask: who needs to take action, and what action?

• Ask: how we should fund such initiatives?

• Solutions not just in our schools, but also involve our industries, our political system, our communities and our homes.

Today we start the journey toward those solutions