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As a firestorm of debate rages in Congress over economic stability, the Department of Commerce released a report on Wednesday asserting that jobs in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) play “a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy.”
Although science and engineering workers represent a relatively small portion of the labor market, the report projected that between 2008 and 2018, science and technology-focused jobs would grow by 17 percent — nearly twice the 9.8 percent rate of growth for other occupations.
“One of the real concerns is, how do you create a competitive economy and workforce?” Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank told HuffPost. “We need to create skills that will keep us at the forefront — and this is a group that is crucial for the country’s long term competitiveness and innovation.”
