September is the time to recognize STEM professionals

September is Workforce Development month so here is my pitch to recognize – and value – STEM professionals, most of whom do not have a bachelor’s degree.

When STEM professionals come to mind, we think of doctors, university researchers, coders and mechanical engineers, among other science-related occupations. But they are not the majority of the American STEM workforce; the majority of U.S. STEM professionals don’t have a bachelor’s degree.

For too long our students have been told the best path to a successful career is a bachelor’s degree and above, devaluing professions trained through the military, skilled trade unions, apprenticeships, community colleges and other career and technical training programs. As a result, we’re not promoting high-value occupations in science, technology, engineering, medical and math-related fields such as iron workers, laboratory technicians, licensed practical nurses and electricians.

A rocket doesn’t get to space without the expertise of both the Ph.D. rocket scientist and the electrician. So why discount the electrician’s value?

Over the past four years, Science is US has produced first-of-its-kind analyses of the economic impact of STEM professionals regardless of a person’s level of education. We did this because we understood that valuing all STEM professionals was essential to promoting the benefits of science and technology. Much like the rocket launch, any success in science comes from multi-functional teams working together and adding their specialized expertise.

Through our review of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, we found that one-third (34%) of all U.S. workers are STEM professionals whose economic impact is 40% of gross domestic product.

To our surprise, we found that the majority of U.S. STEM professionals, 55% in our latest analysis, don’t hold a bachelor’s degree.

The assumptions many hold about who America’s STEM professionals are, the work they do and the education they pursue needs to change. This is especially true now when employers are struggling to fill STEM jobs, families are questioning whether a four-year college education is likely to produce an adequate return on investment and policymakers are considering how best to build our future workforce.

The STEM enterprise needs professionals with all levels of education, experience and expertise to succeed. Numerous research studies demonstrate the higher wages paid to STEM professionals at all levels of education compared to their non-STEM peers.

At the same time, there must be a wider understanding of the need to equally value the STEM pathways that don’t require bachelor’s degrees or more and recognition that they too can lead to well-paid and fulfilling careers.

We must learn to talk about STEM careers inclusively and not just present those that require bachelor’s and advanced degrees as valuable and viable options. We should avoid qualifiers such as “blue collar STEM” that can give the impression that certain career paths are less worthy than others.

This month – and every month for that matter – we should celebrate the varied routes to rewarding STEM careers. And we must encourage those STEM professionals with the highest levels of educational attainment to embrace, value and promote their colleagues with different levels of education.

Lab technicians know they are scientists. Licensed practical nurses know they’re medical professionals. Iron workers know they are engineers. And electricians know the rocket doesn’t reach its destination without them. Let’s give all our STEM professionals their due.