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The case for technical degrees

The case for technical degrees. Elizabeth D. Sellers Manager U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office July 20, 2007. Industry needs well-trained technical people.

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The case for technical degrees

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  1. The case for technical degrees Elizabeth D. Sellers Manager U.S. Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office July 20, 2007

  2. Industry needs well-trained technical people In China Today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today Britney Spears is Britney Spears – and that is our problem. ….We cannot envision the form technology will take in five years…it is changing that rapidly Thomas Friedman – The World is Flat

  3. Energy security • Worldwide, the standard of living is linked to energy supply. The wealthier the nation, the more energy it requires per capita to sustain and grow its wealth. • To obtain energy security, the U.S. and world need highly skilled technical people. • The U.S. and world need clean, safe, affordable energy sources that don’t emit carbon dioxide and other air pollutants.

  4. The U.S. has lost its edge in math and science • International students consistently outperform U.S. K-through-12 students on math and science assessments. In 2004, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey ranked the U.S. 24th out of 29 countries. • The U.S. ranked 17th internationally in science degrees earned by people in the 18-24 age group. Three decades ago the U.S. ranked 3rd.

  5. In the U.S. • One in three students fails to meet math and English standards. • Nationwide, 71% of students graduate from high school. • Only half of Latino and black students graduate from high school. • One-third of high school graduates require remedial classes in college. (Achieve, Inc.)

  6. To remain competitive, the U.S. needs to increase degrees awarded to it citizens • Number of science and engineering degrees awarded to U.S. citizens is decreasing. (Business-Higher Education Forum) • Non-U.S. residents with temporary visas accounted for one-third of the doctorate degrees awarded in science and engineering in 2003. (National Science Foundation)

  7. U.S. compared with Asia in science & engineering education • Undergraduate degrees awarded in science & engineering: • U.S. – About 33 percent for the past 30 years. • China – 59 percent in 2001. • South Korea – 46 percent in 2000. • Japan – 66 percent in 2001. • Engineering degrees included in above: • China 65%; South Korea 58 %; Japan 29%. • U.S. – less than 5 %. (Business Week, 12/9/05)

  8. U.S. compared with Asia and Europe in science & engineering education • In 2003, 2.8 million science and engineering BS degrees were awarded worldwide. • 1.2 million were awarded by Asian universities. • 830,000 were awarded by European universities. • 400,000 were awarded by U.S. universities. (National Science Foundation)

  9. Opportunity for Latinos • If the U.S. is going to remain competitive with the rest of the world, we will need a well educated workforce. • Latinos are the fastest growing sector of the population in this nation. In the 2000 census, Latinos comprised 13.5% of the U.S. population. • But only 3% of our nation’s scientists and engineers are Latino. By 2050, Latinos are projected to be 25% of the population. • If Latinos don’t go into science and engineering, the technological future will look dim in the U.S.

  10. Opportunity for women

  11. Salaries

  12. Science and engineering graduates earn more • 2007 college graduates in engineering are being offered salaries ranging from $47K for civil engineers to $80K for nuclear engineers. • Accountants now start at an average of $47K. • People with marketing degrees now start at an average of $41K. • A service industry job now starts at average of $20K.

  13. Math and science jobs increasing • More than two-thirds of jobs will require some post-secondary education. Jobs requiring the most education and offering the best pay are the fastest growing. (Educational Testing Service, 2003) 1998-2002 S&E bachelor’s and master’s degree recipients, by employment sector and degree field: 2003 employment sectorBachelor’sMaster’s for-profit business 57.1 percent 49.1 nonprofit8.5 7.7 Government 12.0 12.4 4-year college/university 10.7 17.6 other education 8.0 10.2 self-employment 3.7 3.0 (National Science Foundation)

  14. DOE needs technical people • DOE’s primary role is to provide energy security for the U.S. • A trained, educated technical workforce is essential to DOE. • 4,248 of DOE’s10,000 employees work in science and/or engineering.

  15. In 2006, DOE employed 4,248 technical people nationwide. 813 were female. 3,435 were male. For FY2007-2010, DOE projects to hire 567 technical staff. As the 2006 chart below indicates, minorities in technical jobs within DOE are definitely in the minority.

  16. DOE nationwide, by the numbers • Budget = $24 billion per year. • Contracts = 46 major ones, comprising $19.2 billion of the total budget. • DOE staff = 10,000 workers. • Contractors’ staff = 100,000 workers.

  17. 3086 2941 2612 690 Nuclear enrollments grew at a rapid rate

  18. 310 225 218 194 185 185 162 156 153 153 153 152 150 123 105 86 72 65 63 45 27 20 20 20 18 10 8 8 Nuclear Engineering Enrollments Academic Year 2006-2007

  19. Undergraduate employment Nuclear degrees

  20. Masters employment Nuclear degrees

  21. Ph.D. Employment Nuclear focus

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