With the recent White House announcement of a $240 million commitment from private businesses to help children succeed in science, technology and math, the timing couldn’t be better for community leaders, non-profit organizations, parents, school administrators and kids to explore job opportunities in STEM. But, what types of roles qualify for a career in STEM? What are the educational requirements to land a job? Â The findings may surprise you.
[Related: 5 STEM Camps for Kids]
According to the Best STEMÂ Jobs of 2015 report compiled by the US News World & Report, the list doesn’t include occupations from the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Not every job involves work in a lab or an expensive four-year-plus training process. Overall, the roles were recommended because they are in high demand and have low unemployment rates. Here is a glimpse of the best STEM jobs in 2015 collected by US News World & Report.
- Software Developer – These professionals usually fall into two categories: Application developers, who design computer software and databases, and systems-focused developers, who build operating systems, such as Linux or iOS. Growth for both types should increase: The Labor Department predicts there will be nearly 140,000 brand new positions created before 2022.
- Computer Systems Analyst – Professionals interested in this role should be both goal-focused and process-oriented. Computer systems analysts must understand computer hardware, software and networks and how they work together, so they can make recommendations to organizations for the best operations systems to use. The Labor Department predicts 24.5 percent employment growth for this job through 2022.
- Information Security Analyst – Considering we are increasingly reliant on technology, this profession is growing. Information security analysts plan and monitor security of computer networks for companies and government agencies. They also troubleshoot security breaches.
- Web Developer- Websites are the online storefronts for your business. Web developers are responsible for the look and feel of your website including sleek fonts, layout and functionality. The Labor Department considers this one of the fastest-growing jobs this decade, and it predicts employment will increase by about 20 percent by 2022.
- Accountant - Accounting goes beyond the expert understanding of mathematics. Accounting requires a lot of organizational skills and an attention to detail. Strong emotional intelligence would also come in handy, since interacting with clients surrounding “money,†an issue we’re all sensitive about. The Labor Department predicts more than 166,000 new openings will be created in this field from now to 2022.
- School Psychologist -Â Beyond assisting concerned parents and administrators with the academic struggles of a student, school psychologist review test scores to help decide whether a child qualifies for special services, diagnose mental disorders and learning disabilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 11.3 percent uptick in the occupation by 2022.
- Mechanical Engineer -Â The field of mechanical engineering offers a blend of right- and left-brain thinking. You’ll get the opportunity to take devices from the theoretical design phase (the right brain) to the technical production phase. The profession makes this list for its low unemployment rate of 2.7 percent and comfortable median salary of $82,100.
- Operations Research Analyst -Â An advisory position involving helping businesses and organizations operate more efficiently. Since often the duties include budgeting and statistical analysis, strong math skills are a necessity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment growth of nearly 27 percent for operations research analysts by the year 2022.
- IT Manager -Â IT Managers are the head of a company’s information technology department. When your email server goes down or you can’t get your computer to start, you typically call to your IT manager. IT professionals are a growing profession and it is expected to gain about 50,900 new positions by the year 2022.
- Civil Engineer -Â Civil Engineers are responsible for building many of the structures and pathways we use daily bridges, buildings and damming reservoirs. By 2022, the BLS predicts there will be 53,700 new openings.
Read more at US World News & Report.