Creating a STEM-Strong St. Louis
By Deborah Holmes
Originally published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Science, technology, engineering and math is everywhere around us, from the complex to the simple. Take your smartphone, for example. This device wouldn’t be possible without the brainpower of engineers. Additionally, improved treatments and cures for diseases are possible because of scientists and medical professionals who have a deep understanding of the human body, but you can find STEM in something as simple as a water fountain.
While many STEM professionals are working toward technological and scientific breakthroughs every day, we’re still faced with a lack of qualified candidates to fill a growing number of jobs in STEM fields. This year alone, it is projected that 2.4 million STEM jobs will go unfilled — and this growth isn’t expected to stop anytime soon. In fact, St. Louis can expect a 12.4 percent increase in STEM jobs by 2022.
