The Myth of the Science and Engineering Shortage
There is little evidence to prove the shortage of U.S. talent in the science and engineering workforce despite the widespread myth. It’s true that the U.S. produces more science and engineering graduates than there are jobs. But if there were a shortage, employers would be raising wage offers to attract scientists and engineers. However, the opposite is true. Wages in most science and engineering occupations have been nearly stagnant and unemployment is often higher than in comparable professions.
One can’t pick specific shortages and use them generally to describe a shortage in science and engineering as a whole, because the labor markets vary so drastically in these fields. In addition, the rise and fall of demand for occupations fluctuates quickly in these fields due to a many changing factors. For example, biomedical research has some of the most unattractive career prospects, despite the fact that it is currently one of the largest and most financed scientific fields.
Despite growing student interest and high-performance levels of American students in STEM fields, the attractiveness of career opportunities are declining. After a rigorous education and often extra years of higher education, graduates will face unstable careers and low wages. Predictions of a science and engineering shortage might eventually be the case if the career opportunities remain this poor.
