On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the New York Urban League hosted a panel and discussion on the need to ensure a diverse flow in the STEM pipeline. Arva Rice, president and CEO of the New York Urban League who was recently honored with the City University of New York’s Educational Leadership Award, provided remarks and also spoke on the panel.
Jobs in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math are growing at a rate of 15%, compared with a growth rate of 9% for non-STEM jobs, according to Jay Hershenson, senior vice chancellor for university relations at the City University of New York, who provided opening remarks. STEM jobs are also higher paying: There are 170,000 STEM jobs paying an average of $44 an hour, compared with non-STEM jobs, which pay $27 an hour, Hershenson said.
[Related: 3 Ways Obama’s New Initiative Will Impact STEM Education]
Yet, for all this job growth, there is a shortage of local and global STEM talent, said Jim Gordon, group vice president of corporate brand and reputation at Time Warner Cable. He noted that 18% of all job openings are in STEM, but that half of the STEM workforce is foreign born.
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