Moving Along the STEM Pipeline? The Long-Term Employment Trajectories of STEM Graduates

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding College Outcomes

Abstract

Concerns over the supply of highly-skilled STEM workers have been a feature of policy discourse in the US and UK for more than 50 years. We present a unique analysis of 1970 British Cohort Study data that provides a longitudinal perspective on the career trajectories of UK science graduates and compares these with the those of graduates in other subjects and non-graduates.

We found no evidence to suggest a shortage of STEM graduates per se but identified three characteristics of the STEM labour market that may present challenges for employers: STEM employment is generally predicated on early entry; there is considerable movement out of HS STEM positions by older workers; and there are many attractive alternative careers for STEM graduates.

Authors

• Patrick Kieran White, University of Leicester

• Emma Smith, The University of Warwick