Workforce: STEM

Finding Your Workforce: The Top 25 Institutions Graduating Latinos in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) By Academic Level 2009-2010  This third brief in a series reveals colleges and universities graduating Latinos in science, technology, engineering, and math fields and selected evidence-based practices to increase Latino student success in these disciplines.

Findings in this brief include:

• Latinos earned just eight percent of the certificates and degrees conferred in STEM, and – with 40 percent of Latino graduates in STEM coming from the top 25 institutions – those graduates were concentrated in relatively few colleges and universities.

• Latinos in the STEM workforce are more likely to be in lower paying service occupations in 2011 – such as electrical, electronics, and electromechanical assemblers, telecommunications line installers and repairers, and aircraft mechanics and service technicians – than higher paying professional occupations – such architectural and engineering managers and computer and information systems managers.

• At the undergraduate level, the top 25 institutions at each academic level conferring certificates or degrees to Latinos in 2009-10 were located in only six states—Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, Illinois, New Mexico—and Puerto Rico.

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What Education and Industry Leaders Are Saying About Finding Your Workforce: STEM

"This analysis is straightforward: we know where Latinos are earning their degrees in STEM and we know what some of these institutions are doing, with intentionality, to improve Latino success in STEM fields. What we need to determine now is whether more institutions and more employers will seize the opportunity to educate and employ more Latinos in professional STEM fields."

- Deborah Santiago, Author, Co-Founder and Vice President for Policy and Research, Excelencia in Education

"Innovation has always been the heart of America’s economic success, which means tomorrow’s workforce must be trained and educated in science, technology, engineering, and math to ensure our country is positioned for economic strength. Considering that Latinos will account for three quarters of our workforce growth by 2020, it’s critical that we zero in on ways to increase Latino student success in STEM.”

- Aneesh Chopra, former Chief Technology Officer of the United States

"We are working to bring together stakeholders to connect the dots between STEM education and careers. Excelencia in Education's latest research is an important contribution to this effort, as it will bring to light successful programs."

- Margaret Mannix, Executive Editor, U.S. News & World Report

"This report underscores the vital role that Hispanic-Serving Institutions play in the future of our nation's STEM workforce, especially in light of our rapidly changing demographics. Research universities need to lead the implementation of evidenced-based practices at our own institutions as well as drive educational partnerships from preschool through the doctorate level that bridge to industry partnerships."

- Laird Kramer, Founding Director, STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University

"To meet our workforce needs and maintain our leadership role America must accelerate our graduation of professionals in STEM fields over the next decade. That means that America’s future success depends on accelerating the growth of Latinos with postsecondary credentials in STEM, which is why Excelencia in Education is providing practical information to help meet this challenge."

- Sarita Brown, President, Excelencia in Education