The Strength of a STEM Degree

In a period of economic uncertainty when more and more students are graduating from college with little prospects of employment, there are some degrees that carry much more weight than others. While it can be difficult to explain to an employer what an educational background in philosophy can mean for them, a person who has studied in a STEM field will be able to pick many different career opportunities. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and medicine, four of the most in-demand careers to date that show no signs of slowing down in the near future.

Science and Career Possibilities

Every time you open a newspaper, you are likely to read about a new breakthrough made possible due to researchers at one organization or another. The stereotypical image of a scientist wielding beakers in a white coat is history: today’s scientists work within much larger corporate entities to do their research. Genetic mutations amongst crops, for instance, allow biologists to study the advantages of breeding one strain over another in order to increase food supply or combat pests. Chemists who look into the reactions between elements are able to come up with formulas to create longer-living, faster-charging batteries. Physicists are not just employed at NASA (though many are), since many corporations need to plan out their product designs, submitting them to rigorous calculations about gravity, air resistance, and heat.

Why Technology Is King

In an age when it is possible to talk with someone halfway across the globe, many of us take our technological luxuries for granted and would be rather miffed if we logged onto the Internet one day just to find out that the hosting server on our favorite websites was off-line. The reason that sites like Google and Facebook can provide us with content every hour is because they hire countless programmers who can run tests, identify bugs, and create new material for their customers. Computer programmers are only some of the technological careers in today’s world that are in high demand, but are wanted by nearly every corporation in the world. Being able to program anything from a simple line code to a working robot is what makes every day of our lives just a little bit easier.

Engineering and the Job Market

In Germany, one in three students study engineering. In the United States, the figure is much closer to one in twenty. The massive deficit of engineering graduates in this country makes it one of the most in-demand jobs that anyone can pursue, since nearly anyone with nearly any engineering job can hope to find employment in a large city with different firms and corporations hiring them. Engineers work to design, build, and improve the devices we use on a daily basis. One of the highest-paying engineering jobs is petroleum engineering, overseeing the transfer of oil into the country and then breaking it down into the different fuels we use for cars, jet planes, and backyard grills. A student who has studied petroleum engineering can command a six-figure salary upon graduation.

Medical Emergencies

No field in the entire nation’s job market will grow faster in the near future than medicine. This is because more and more of the population is aging and will require greater care. It is not just doctors who are in high demand — in fact, the demand for registered nurses is much higher, with some medical organizations offering a five-thousand dollar signing bonus to anyone who can recruit a nursing student. Specialties such as surgical nurses not only have a very high salary, averaging forty dollars per hour, but also enjoy just as much power (sometimes more) than the doctors who are purportedly their bosses.

Author Bio
William Stevens is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to technology. In this article, he explains career opportunities with STEM degrees and aims to encourage further study with a master in engineering management.