1. Data Sources on the STEM Workforce Dixie Sommers Assistant Commissioner August 1, 2011

2. Overview Using the Standard Occupational Classification to identify STEM Data on employment and wages  Occupational Employment Statistics  Employment Projections Data on demographic and other characteristics  American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau 2

3. Standard Occupational Classification Workers and jobs are classified into occupations based on the work performed SOC issued by Office of Management and Budget  Revised 2000 and 2010  All Federal agencies publishing occupational data for statistical purposes must use SOC SOC structure  23 Major Occupation Grou ps  Over 800 detailed occupations

4. Standard Occupational Classification 4 Major group 19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations Minor group 19-1000 Life Scientists Broad occupation 19-1010 Agricultural and Food Scientists Detailed occupations 19-1011 Animal Scientists Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals. 19-1012 Food Scientists and Technologists Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.

5. Standard Occupational Classification What occupations belong in STEM?  BLS made a list  There are other lists Some questions:  Should STEM include – Social science occupations? – Health occupations? – Teaching occupations?  What are the criteria for deciding?

6. Occupational Employment Statistics Employment and wages for over 800 occupations  Occupational estimates for – The Nation – States, District of Columbia, and selected territories – Over 580 metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas  National estimates by specific industries – Number of jobs and wages for occupations within each industry  Estimates by ownership: – Private; Federal, State, and Local Government Published annually with May reference date

7. Occupational Employment Statistics Non-farm wage and salary employment  Self-employed an unpaid family workers excluded  Agriculture industries not included – Except some agricultural services industries  Count of jobs, not people Survey of large sample of businesses  Universe of about 8 million establishments  1.2 million establishments sampled for OES

8. Employment Projections What we project  Labor force  Aggregate economy  Industry production and employment  Occupational demand Key features  National projections  Long term: 10 year horizon  New projections every other year – Currently for 2008-2018, next for 2010-2020 8

9. Employment Projections Key features  National projections  Long term: 10 year horizon  New projections every other year – Currently for 2008-2018, next 2010-2020  Detailed – 311 industries – 754 occupations Career information  Occupational Outlook Handbook  Occupational Outlook Quarterly 9

10. American Community Survey U.S. Census Bureau  Replaces the “long form” on the decennial Census  Larger sample than the Current Population Survey Continuous data collection from sampled households New data every year  1-year data, 3-year data, 5-year period estimates  Greater detail with more years Demographic, social, economic, housing and financial characteristics 10

11. American Community Survey Key ACS data on workers in STEM occupations  Educational attainment  Gender and race/ethnicity  Marital status  Nativity and citizenship  Employment by class of worker (self-employed, wage and salary, etc.)  Earnings and income  And more… 11

12. Getting the Data Occupational Employment Statistics  http://www.bls.gov/oes/ http://www.bls.gov/oes/ Employment Projections  Data – http://www.bls.gov/emp/ http://www.bls.gov/emp/  Occupational Outlook Handbook – http://www.bls.gov/oco/ http://www.bls.gov/oco/  Occupational Outlook Quarterly – http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/ American Community Survey  http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ 12

13. Contact Information Dixie Sommers Assistant Commissioner Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Department of Labor 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, D.C. 20212 Sommers.Dixie@bls.gov