How will Washington meet its growing need for STEM degrees? | HeraldNet.com – Opinion

A top Boeing official recently shared this sobering statistic: that 50 percent of Boeing’s engineers will be eligible to retire by 2015. Similar and equally frightening statistics pertain to the growing need for engineers in the energy industry, the transportation systems sector, and the civil infrastructure arena.

Another projection shows that by 2018 the state of Washington will have the third largest demand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs in the nation. Washington is one of only a few states with a significant gap between the level of “knowledge economy” infrastructure and the necessary supply of skilled workers. How will our state fill not only these critically important impending needs, but also help our country regain its technological momentum in an increasingly competitive global marketplace?

Every year, Washington’s six excellent four-year institutions of higher education provide thousands of well-qualified graduates in a host of STEM fields, including engineering. But it is clear that the number of graduates being produced by our state’s universities and colleges is falling far short of even current needs, let alone projected demand in just a few years.

We could continue to import engineers and other STEM graduates. However, all states are working very hard to develop and retain their home-grown talent; we may not be so successful in future recruitment. And of more importance, why should our state’s residents be denied the opportunity to study for these fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs of the future? …

via How will Washington meet its growing need for STEM degrees? | HeraldNet.com – Opinion.