Business Leaders Unite to Strengthen America’s STEM Workforce

On March 12, a coalition of more than 30 industry leaders—representing over 20 million employees—announced a unified plan to revitalize the U.S. workforce. The Business and Industry STEM Coalition (BISSC) pledged to double the number of bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from 200,000 to 400,000 by 2020, ensuring a talent pipeline for tomorrow’s economy.

Key actions outlined by the coalition include:

• Creating a comprehensive inventory of the employment skills that businesses will need over the next decade.
• Partnering with employers nationwide to promote cutting‑edge STEM programs in all 50 states.
• Launching public outreach campaigns to shift perceptions and elevate the status of STEM professionals.

The initiative is backed by advisory members from the Department of Defense, the Department of Education, and the Department of Homeland Security—agencies that face acute shortages of highly skilled tech workers. “This is an unprecedented coalition of employers,” said Richard Stephens, a senior official at Boeing and founding member of BISSC. “We firmly believe that aggressive, unified action is essential to equip our workforce for 2020 and beyond.”

Recent data underscore the urgency of the effort. NAEP 2009 math results revealed no progress for fourth‑graders and only modest gains for eighth‑graders. Internationally, PISA 2006 placed U.S. students 21st out of 30 in science literacy and 25th out of 30 in math literacy, highlighting significant gaps in STEM readiness.

The March 12 launch was honored by Representatives Bart Gordon, chair of the House Science & Technology Committee, and Vern Ehlers, ranking member of the Research & Science Education Committee, both of whom have championed STEM education and workforce development.