1. STEM is our Business! Pathways to Career Readiness Symposium
Grateful to Northrop Grumman for supporting this effort
Pathways to Career Readiness Symposium
February 17, 2017

2. STEM CTE is essential to the future of Pennsylvania—and the nation
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3. Middle-skill STEM jobs in PA
Metro area
% of workforce in middle-skill STEM
# of middle-skill STEM jobs
Median salary
Allentown
10%
27,900
$53,674
Harrisburg 9%
26,300
$51,803
Lancaster
11%
22,700
$45,211
Philadelphia
250,000
$58,546
Pittsburgh
121,000
$49,783
Scranton
23,100
$47,135
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NOTE: This data are getting old—2011. Still, they are probably still relatively representative.
Strong demand for “middle-skill” jobs
SOURCE: Jonathan Rothwell, The Hidden STEM Economy, Brookings, 2013

4. High school grads can thrive in the job market—if…
High school grads earn almost as much as college grads if they have:
A GPA of at least 2.5 to 3.0
Algebra 2
Advanced science
3+ CTE courses in one labor market area
A professional certification or license
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SOURCE: Center for Public Education, The Path Least Taken, II, 2016

5. There are many roads to prosperity, but most pass through STEM.
In other words…
There are many roads to prosperity, but most pass through STEM.
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6. STEM and CTE share essential DNA
Strong ties to workforce demand
Focus on hands-on, experiential learning
Need to apply knowledge/skills in relevant contexts
Focus on solving problems
Require a strong foundation of knowledge and skills
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7. STEM and CTE also share essential challenges
Preconception that each is only for “some kids”
Lack of gender diversity
Quality control--uneven rigor and relevance
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8. Few young people get exposure to hands-on STEM
Before high school, students have few opportunities to build, tinker, troubleshoot, or solve real-world problems.
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NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level

9. Roughly half of students have little exposure to STEM CTE
Lower-income much less likely to take such courses
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Even bigger gaps by race and gender

10. Even larger racial/gender gaps
20-point gap with white male!
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White
male
White
female
Black
male
Latino
male
Black
female
Latino
female

11. But what are students actually doing in and out of school?
Figuring out how to take things apart and fix them?
Learning how to select and use appropriate tools and machines to solve problems?
Understanding where to get help to solve problems?
Building models to explore problems and test solutions?
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12. Schools report little emphasis
Roughly one in ten report “a lot” of emphasis
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13. Students report little opportunity
Three or more times
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14. Students report little opportunity
Three or more times
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15. More happening out of school
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But still not enough!

16. Exposure to trouble-shooting & problem-solving is an accident of birth
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Parents are by far the biggest influence

17. Lessons
Most middle schoolers are on their own when it comes to hands-on STEM.
Most are entering high school with precious little experience.
STEM CTE can be a powerful corrective and equalizer
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18. Growing gender gaps in CTE—in Pennsylvania and the nation
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NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level

19. Girls flock to CTE health; scarce in other STEM fields
United States
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20. PA gender imbalance appears to be especially stark
Pennsylvania 2% 8%
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53.2 5%
87% 6%
28% 5%
59%

21. CTE STEM gender gaps are also growing
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22. CTE STEM gender gaps have grown in Pennsylvania
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88%
90%
28%
13% 8% 8%
25%
23%

23. Women plummet in 2-year computer degrees
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NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level

24. PA Women plummet in 2-year computer degrees
: Pennsylvania
35.2%
24.7%
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27.7%
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23.1%
NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level

25. Women lose ground in 2-year engineering degrees
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NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level

26. PA Women slip in 2-year engineering degrees
19.3%
23.3%
19.2%
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10.4%
NOTE: Data include all credentials below the baccalaureate level.
This is a volatile measure, because so few people get subbac. In engineering.

27. Why worry about gender imbalance?
Men & women both need earning power in this economy.
We need all the talent we can get in STEM CTE.
Organizations benefit from diversity
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28. STEM CTE offers lessons for everyone
All students benefit from relevance.
There are multiple pathways to middle class jobs.
STEM champions on “academic” & CTE sides must embrace shared interests & recognize shared challenges.
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29. Thank you Claus von Zastrow: cvonzastrow@changetheequation.org
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