Was 2014 a better year for STEM job placement?


Aggregated data reveals that students are still struggling pre- and post-graduation to fill needed jobs

job-students-technologyIt’s not a new revelation that STEM industry jobs need skilled graduates; but again, it’s not a new issue. And according to recent data from 2014, it seems that though more students want to find a job in high-profile STEM jobs, they’re still not getting them.

The data, which has been pulled from sources such as the College Board, Think Progress, the New York Times, and multiple other academic and journalism publications, at first seems pretty basic: Here are the most popular jobs for 2014…and here are the job placement rates for this year’s graduating students.

The most popular careers are mainly science and technology-focused, including network analysts, database admin and software engineers; and companies that current grad students most want to work for are often STEM-focused, such as Apple, Ford, IBM, NASA, Ubisoft, and Doctors without Borders.

It’s encouraging to see so many of this year’s graduates becoming interested in often well-paying-out-of-college, critical openings in major industry needed to keep the U.S in economic standing.

Yet, the data also reveals that 54 percent of bachelor’s degree holders under 25 are jobless or underemployed; and 33 percent of grads are currently in jobs that don’t require a college degree (ranging anywhere from electrician to bartender).

What’s even more concerning is that, according to a recent After College survey, even students who chose to major in “in-demand career fields” have reported trouble finding work. For example, among seniors who are about to get STEM-related degrees in engineering, math and technology, 81.6 percent are still seeking jobs.

Perhaps not surprisingly, over 85 percent of business majors also still sending out resumes.

(Next page: Infographic on recent job popularity and placement in 2014)

Do you think this data is revealing in any way or are there too many factors that could account for the gap in job demand versus job placement? Be sure to leave your comments below!

Popular professions among grads in 2014:

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