Who Participates in the Skilled Technical Workforce After College and What Are Their Educational Pathways?

The skilled technical workforce (STW) comprises workers in occupations that require significant science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) skills but not a bachelor’s degree for entry. United States had over 17 million STW 2017, and is expected to be short about 3.4 who are qualified the available positions by 2022. Despite important contribution of U.S. economy, policy discourse on STEM has largely focused with graduate degrees, overlooking those without 4-year degree. Consequently, knowledge limited. This paper draws recently national data source provide close look at through lens undergraduates joined after college. Multivariate results indicate students held jobs college fared better than nontechnical range employment outcomes, including salary, access benefits, alignment between majors intended careers, job satisfaction. analyses also confirmed graduating from less-than-4-year institution, earning subbaccalaureate credential, majoring STEM, healthcare, such fields as manufacturing, construction, repair, transportation common paths careers. benefits employment, however, relatively few pursued Significantly fewer female male Black White jobs, even controlling factors major field, type last credits, educational attainment. However, post-college participation did differ Hispanic vary students’ family income their parents’ education