Why the "STEM major means good job prospects" assumption?

[texaspg]

UCB - so you want to redefine STEM - Biology as having good job prospects?

I am under the impression biology has jobs but not well paying compared to the rest?

[ucbalumnus]

No, just trying to get people to realize that some STEM majors do not have good job prospects, and that one should not lump all STEM majors together in this respect. Also, various types of engineering and CS have job prospects that depend on economic and industry cycles.

[Vladenschlutte]

I'm told it's a Cold War relic where the government was encouraging education in STEM fields...

[cobrat]

Originally Posted by ucbalumnus

Also, various types of engineering and CS have job prospects that depend on economic and industry cycles.

As someone from a family populated by several engineers with careers spanning 5+ decades...don't get my older engineer uncles started. In one long bust cycle...they ended up having to serve as SAHD for several years in an era when that wasn't as common and far less socially accepted than now.

I've also met dozens of real-life engineering/physics/math/CS folks who had to drive taxis or perform other odd jobs to tie themselves over during the bust periods. And some were top graduates from topflight engineering schools like MIT, Columbia SEAS, Cornell, Berkeley, etc. A few like one uncle even had a professional MSE on top of having a BSE...both from the abovenamed schools.

[turbo93]

STEM's have good employment prospects only if they resemble some version of the purple squirrel to the HR type doing the hiring....

[cobrat]

^ ^

That assumes the industry which employs those "purple squirrel" STEM graduates didn't hit a bust cycle as my engineer uncles experienced.

[samiamy]

I know 9 recently graduated STEM majors, funny all actual Engineers. Civil, Chem, Mech.
One 2011 Cal Tech Mech E working as internet loan processor.
The other 8 are 2012 grads, NONE working. Funny how the media can taint a job outlook market as being an industry for jobs.
One of the above is taking a non paying 4 month course, had to sign a 2 year employment agreement to work for tech hiring firm. Wont guarantee a job, but a 2 year contract? Seems awfully suspect to me. Another kid applied to 4 similar looking ads, when contacted, the interview address was the same for all 4 ads, but different floor within building. These kids better protect their information/identity, many people could take advantage of desperate young people.

I guess these kids aren't purple squirrels.

I CRINGE when I read/hear the jobs are all in healthcare.I work in healthcare.
The jobs that are currently available in healthcare are:

LOW PAYING orderly/ancillary staff jobs.
A friend who is second career person BS in Nursing, said local hospital was hiring, 100 RN's interviewed for 3 spots. She only got the spot because she worked as an nurse's aid while in nursing school. The other new grads, all fresh out of school and as far back 2010 grads non have been able to get jobs as nurses.

[4thfloor]

So when politicians say we need to spend more on education to eliminate unemployment and have a more competitive 21st century technological workforce, they are actually LYING? I am shocked ....

(And that assumes spending on education actually goes towards academics.)

[Chardo]

^ I suspect those 9 unemployed engineering grads have either poor gpa, no internships, or weak social/interview skills.

Everything I hear or read says engineering grads strong on all these points have no problems getting jobs.

[bovertine]

^^^
We've hired about 25 to 30 or so entry level engineers in the last year and a half. And they all tell me their classmates are finding jobs, although it takes them a little while in many cases. Anecdotal I know, like virtually every post on here.

[turbo93]

There seem to be different criteria for entry level vs experienced. Vastly different. Entry levels aren't usually required to be purple squirrels, but may not get the job because they'll bolt in a year or two to a better place. Experienced folks are the purple squirrels and good luck there.

One also sees the strange phenomenon of lots of hiring in one side of the building and people walking out with cardboard boxes in the other. We just had a 10% layoff while we actively recruit new hires. The skill sets are fairly similar, but why retrain?

Ultimately, most new hires we get will bolt after a few years, unless they're going thru H1 to green card paperwork (in which case they'll bolt a few months after green card). So, we're at the envious position of having TONS of old people (myself included) and a few young people, and nobody in between 30's and early 40's.

[sevmom]

samiamy,Your experience isn't what I know either. My 09'engineer son and his friends all seem to be gainfuly employed. My '13 engineering son had an internshop this summer and already has been offered a job with this employer when he graduates.

[BCEagle91]

HP is laying off some 27,000 people and HP is a tech company - I have to think that there are a fair number of engineers in those numbers - I used to work with a lot of the guys that are in HP now.

[bovertine]

Is that 27K in the US or worldwide?

[coolweather]

What does HP engineer recently?