The STEM Dilemma: Skills that Matter to Regions

Stewart notes that STEM graduates are important for the overall economy, yet not all regions are home to the types of industries that rely on workers with STEM skills. She also provides evidence that not all high-paying jobs require STEM skills; that not all goodpaying, highly skilled STEM jobs require college degrees; and that “soft skills” (e.g., critical thinking and communication) are important for STEM as well as other high-paying jobs. The takeaway? Regions that adopt a one-sizefits-all strategy for human capital development may fail to reap the greatest returns on public investments. Pub Dec 2017. LC 2017044691. 6 x 9 in. 222 pp. notes. index. Upjohn ISBN 978-0-88099-639-6 P/$20.00