If you are a current employee, or a soon to be graduate in any of the science, technology, engineering or mathematics-related disciplines — your job prospects continue to look bright. In fact over the last decade, job growth in the STEM-related professions topped all other professions by a rate of over three to one (7.9 percent to 2.6 percent). And that LED ceiling lights growth is expected to continue for the rest of this decade.
Statistics Prove it’s Great to be in a STEM Profession
Those positive numbers for job growth in the STEM professions came from a 2011 study released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA). Some of the other highlights from the study include the following:
- Job numbers in STEM occupations are projected to grow 17 percent compared to 9.8 percent in all other professions from 2008 to 2018.
- You will make more money, as salaries in the STEM professions are 26 percent higher than non-STEM occupations.
- If you’ve earned a degree in a STEM-related discipline, you’ll earn more than your degree-less counterparts in both STEM and non-STEM professions.
In short, working in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics is the place to be if you want a rewarding, well-paying career with robust job growth prospects.
Unemployment Stays Low in the Technology World
What’s really surprising is that even with the dot-com meltdown early in the 21st Century and the recent Great Recession, many STEM professions appear to be largely immune to the unemployment typical of other industries. Unemployment rates in STEM-related occupations generally remained below five percent since 1994, only slightly creeping above that mark during the recent economic downturn.
There is no denying the importance of the STEM professions to our society as a whole. The ESA study concludes: “The greatest advancements in our society from medicine to mechanics have come from the minds of those interested in or studied in the areas of STEM. Although still relatively small in number, the STEM workforce has an outsized impact on a nation’s competitiveness, economic growth, and overall standard of living.”
If that quote inspires you to take your career to the next level, talk to the experts at Scientific Search. One of the leading staffing agencies in the scientific and technology sectors, we can help you further your prospects in the world of STEM.