After a pivotal year in American history, new report seeks to measure the levels of DE&I across the US STEM workforce
STEMconnector releases a new research report, The State of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in STEM: 2021, shining a light on the numbers behind America’s STEM talent crisis. STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics continues to be a critical driver of innovation, economic growth, and individual opportunity worldwide. In the US, 67% of Americans work in STEM with an estimated two million STEM jobs going unfilled. According to STEMconnector’s report, increasing the number of people from underrepresented groups in STEM could significantly strengthen the STEM talent pipeline.
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“Today, the United States leads the world in technological innovation with our corporations changing the way the world communicates and works. With STEM related businesses contributing $2.3 trillion in tax revenue every year, it is critical we maintain and grow our ability for continuous innovation and technology leadership.” said Dr Jo Webber, FRSC CEO of STEMconnector. “In 2020 the inequalities that have existed in our society for many years surfaced through a series of shocking events. This has set the landscape for a much-needed deeper discussion and plan of action on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. At STEMconnector we felt it was time to measure.”
The numbers are staggering. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the US economy alone will see an additional 10.7 million STEM jobs by 2029. Add to that, many companies are lacking racial/ethnic and gender diversity. Research further shows improving diversity in the STEM workplace enables companies to capture new markets. The evidence sends a clear message: when done right, diversity and inclusion are good for business and make the workplace better for employees, employers, shareholders, and stakeholders alike.
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