Job market bleak for STEM graduates

[drydem]

USA STEM careers status: competitive/difficult to nonexistent
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summary:

More and more people who have studied and trained to be in science and technology careers are now unemployed or underemployed. This trend is widespread in the USA across all disciplines regardless of training level (post Doctorates included) except for one or two fields (e.g. physics, physcians)[1].

commentary:

STEM (science technology engineering medical skill based) careers go up and down with the industry that support them. As a US industry sector fall on economic hard time STEM workers with specialized skills are finding themselves out of a job and must take jobs that are outside of their specialization and field. Certain service based medical jobs like physicians and nursing are still in demand. Other scientific degrees which are more general in nature like a physicist are more adaptable - allowing for a person to *reinvent* him or herself to find a job. Certain engineering positions like civil and aerospace engineering are supported in part by government spending - with government (federal and local) spending being cut back - these fields are also at risk as well.





[1] source
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Scientist heeded call but few can find jobs.
Brian Vastag. The Washington Post. Sunday, July 8th, 2012. Number 215. Pages A1-A14.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/nation...QUW_story.html

[LaiSteve66]

You're still better off with a STEM degree than with a useless liberal arts degree. BTW the M in "STEM" stand for Mathematics, not Medical.

[drydem]

Originally Posted by LaiSteve66

You're still better off with a STEM degree than with a useless liberal arts degree. BTW the M in "STEM" stand for Mathematics, not Medical.

A liberal arts degree isn't totally useless - jobs like a sales floor manager just require one be a college graduate; however, with the rising cost of a college education, a liberal arts degree is a weak career starting point. While a STEM degree might look initially better as a career starting point - it can become obsolete in dozen or so years. Even a post graduate level STEM career base has a high overhead - often requiring frequent skill and knowledge base updates. Business and accounting as a career base is less demanding more stable.

[LaiSteve66]

Degrees don't become obsolete, workers skills do. For example, if you're in tech then you're supposed to constantly upgrade your skills to maintain your relevancy. Those that don't, will have fewer opportunities. Another example. If you're a tax professional, you're supposed to keep up with changes in the tax code and the rules and it also helps to learn software that helps with tax compliance and keep up with the industry.

I used to work in retail and I can tell you, a fucking ape can run a sales floor. And you should talk to my cousin, she has a Art History and graduated a year ago and is still working at starbucks (no she's not the manager). I'm sure she could use your advice on how to get a real job with her Art History degree. LMAO! What an overpriced piece of paper.

[LaiSteve66]

Originally Posted by LaiSteve66

she has a Art History and

She has an Art History Degree (stupid 30 minute timeframe for editing)