The Changing Science and Engineering Workforce

Eleanor L. Babco

The nation’s scientific and engineering (S&E) workforce is critical as the country faces the challenges of globalization, technology, equity, economic uncertainties, and the threat of terrorism. It will be the scientists and engineers who will determine the nation’s ability to provide for its citizens and to compete effectively in the global marketplace. Therefore, it is imperative that we realize that the workforce is changing and that all the stakeholders – the colleges and universities who educate, the organizations that employ, and the workers themselves – cooperate to produce the best workforce possible.

The S&E work force is getting larger as our society becomes increasingly technological. The S&E workforce is becoming more diverse, partly due to the demographics but also to special efforts by academe, industry and government, and we must continue in this direction. The S&E workforce is getting older, so we must commit ourselves to constantly refreshing that workforce. But the demands of the work place are becoming more technological, and we must make certain that all are capable to participate fully.

The job market in S&E fields is cyclical, and will not be the same for all disciplines or for all employers. However, there are some characteristics that should be common to all disciplines, to all employers, to all academic institutions and it is imperative that we share these “best practices.”

If we are to reach our full potential as a nation, we must have all stakeholders working together. While not all young people will choose a career in science and engineering, all deserve the chance to make their own choices. We must make K-12 and higher education into a more seamless and accountable system; we must recognize that community colleges are an important source for updating skills for minority and adult learners already in the workforce; and we must realize that the new global workforce will be more skills-based than degree-based and those skills will be changing. Therefore, we must instill in our young people a desire for life-long learning and the ability to solve problems. Participation in science and engineering will not just happen – it will take the efforts of many.