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MHT's Julie Donnelly: Colleges see uptick in interdisciplinary programs
New England’s hallmark has always been our educational system. Boston is home to both the first public high school and the oldest existing school in the United States. Our universities have more ivy on their walls than any other region in the world. And our work force is the most educated. Massachusetts, for example, has the highest attainment of high school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees in the nation, and the Bay State ranks first in the U.S. in degrees granted in technology-related fields such as engineering, computer science and life sciences.
But the picture is not all rosy — even though our region leads the nation, our nation is dropping farther and farther behind global competitors. For example, while Massachusetts ranks sixth globally in degrees conferred per capita, the U.S. overall ranks 20th. At the same time, Massachusetts high school seniors have expressed less and less interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, education and math, or STEM. Yet those same jobs are among the fastest growing and offer the highest wage potential.
Last fall, responding to the problem of a dwindling supply of graduates for an increasing supply of future jobs, the state, prompted by a coalition of associations pulled together by the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, created the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. This September, the state’s findings will be released and recommendations issued.
In the past, such studies have tended to confirm what we already know: work needs to be done, schools need to make STEM a priority, and funds need to be diverted. Rarely is the business community called to action.
Given that businesses will ultimately benefit, let’s hope that the Massachusetts tech business community has a role to play in whatever call to action the state eventually unveils.
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