November 13, 2014
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Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
STEM Impact Initiative
STEM Impact Study: Findings and Recommendations
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• In the Fall of 2013, the Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance Education Council expanded
its membership to include more business and education leaders and identified STEM as a
priority for the Council to address.
• The Education Council established the STEM Task Force which included some members
of the Education Council and other interested educators and business leaders.
• The STEM Task Force launched an RFP process in the spring of 2014 and hired
Accenture and Innovate+Educate to conduct the STEM Study.
• Over the past five months, the STEM Task Force grew to incorporate key stakeholders
across the region as a way to begin the process of community engagement and to frame
the study as part of a larger STEM Impact Initiative.
GLBRA Education Council and the STEM Impact
Initiative
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STEM Impact Initiative Background
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Nationwide, our education and workforce system is
failing to keep pace with our economy
U.S. employers struggle to find skilled workers and there is a growing disconnect
between what current and future employers need and what prospective employees
are prepared to do.
Job Seekers Employers
54% of BA degree holders under 25 are jobless
and/or underemployed
Percentage of first year
college students who
need remediation
$23,000 in forgone revenue per unfilled position
$4.6 million in annual earnings loss for mid-
size manufacturers
4.4
2.3
BA+ AA+
STEM Job Postings by Education
There were 5.7 million
STEM job postings in
2013, which offer a salary
premium over non-STEM
jobs of $14,000.
60%
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• Why are students uninterested in STEM?
• Why are students academically unprepared for STEM Careers?
• Why are there currently 4M open jobs and11M unemployed workers in the
U.S.?
• Why is there a mismatch between the skills that U.S. workers possess and the
skills that U.S. Businesses need?
• Why are there so many “Random Acts of STEM” in the GLBR?
• Where should funders invest to have the greatest impact on our community?
• Are Business, Education, Non-Profits, Government and the Public collaborating
to make this region a success?
• What is the definition of STEM?
• Am I a failure as a parent if my kid wants to be a welder or an electrician?
• Are Businesses telling Education what skills are necessary for an employee to
be successful?
• What can we do right now to ensure we are building a vibrant STEM workforce?
The State of STEM in the Great Lakes Bay Region
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STEM Impact Initiative Goal
To build the workforce of tomorrow through
comprehensive STEM education and
training to meet the growing needs of current
employers and to attract new jobs and
companies to the Great Lakes Bay Region.
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STEM Impact Initiative Process
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STEM Impact Initiative Project Team*
Lisa Cawley is a Manager within Accenture’s Health and Public Sector practice. Lisa works collaboratively with her
public sector clients on solving their biggest problems. She brings a passion rooted in the non-profit sector to
contribute to the success of her clients through creative problem solving and enhanced organizational effectiveness.
Lisa is a co-founder of Accenture’s Pay for Success practice, where her experience helps public sector organizations
to understand the opportunities that exist through the use of innovative financing mechanisms..
Michael Loiero is a Consultant in Accenture's Health and Public Service practice, with a focus on the State & Local
space. Michael's client work has focused on strategic planning and workforce development. He is passionate about
engaging and understanding employment-related services that can help address the current skills gap in the US.
Peter Hutchinson leads management consulting strategy for Accenture’s State, Provincial and Local Government
practice throughout North America. He focuses on the toughest problems facing leaders in education, government, and
nonprofit organizations. Peter is well-known as a courageous leader and problem solver as a result of his having been
Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Finance, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools, a deputy
mayor, a corporate vice president at the Dayton Hudson Corporation (now Target) and president of the Bush
Foundation, one of Minnesota’s largest, independent foundations. He has worked as a trusted advisor to senior
government leaders throughout the country.
Jamai Blivin is the Founder and CEO of Innovate+Educate, a national 501(c)3 working nationally on education
to employment strategies to close the skills gap. She is passionate around new disruptive strategies that will
ultimately allow new pathways to employment based on skills and abilities resulting from education, experience,
and training. Innovate+Educate was launched in 2009 by Blivin and a group of top U.S. companies believing
that a combined voice of industry could make an impact. Today, the organization is focused on regional
solutions that are demand driven and can be scaled nationally.
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• Launched by Great Lakes Regional Bay Alliance
• Study Fast Facts:
STEM Impact Initiative Study
3 months of
analysis
(May 2014 -
August 2014)
150+ interviews
with key
stakeholders
8 surveys
conducted with
over 1,500
responses
received
Conducted custom
economic and
workforce data
analysis using real
time labor market
intelligence and
other tools
5 focus groups with
K-12 teachers,
principals,
curriculum
directors, and
college access
network
organizations
Conducted 3 meetings with Community Leaders to solicit input on
findings and recommendations and to build community engagement in
the STEM Impact Initiative
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STEM Study Process
Data and
Research Strategies
STEM Talent
Pipeline
Requirements
Recommendations
Findings
The STEM Study was a data driven process based on an analysis of the Great Lakes Bay
Region against national best practices that form the requirements for a robust STEM Talent
Pipeline.
• 8 surveys
• 150+ GLBR
stakeholder interviews
across industry,
education, economic
development,
workforce
development, funders,
nonprofit
organizations
• Customized real time
labor market data
• Student achievement
scores
• Current state
analysis using data
to show where
GLBR stands
against four
requirements of a
STEM Talent
Pipeline
• Based on findings,
set of
recommendations
focused on what
GLBR should focus
on that will be the
most important and
impactful to create
and maintain a
STEM Talent
Pipeline
• Key activities for the
GLBR to take to
implement the
recommendations.
• Research and
interviews of high
performing STEM
states and regions
in the U.S.
• Reviewed leading
thought leadership
on
“education to
employment”,
STEM, and skills
gaps in the U.S.
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Headlines
1. The economic vitality of Great Lakes Bay Region depends on
industries and jobs that require “STEM” skills
2. Businesses must speak a common language about the
specific skills they require
3. Education and training systems must produce the STEM
talent required to meet and sustain economic growth
4. The GLBR requires an effective STEM pipeline if it is to
retain existing jobs and attract new businesses.
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Great Lakes Bay Region STEM Demand
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Great Lakes Bay Region has a STEM driven economy
38% of the region’s GDP is primarily driven by two STEM intensive industries: Manufacturing ($1.8B)
and Healthcare ($1.3B)1
Sources: [1] Burning Glass (2014); [2] Economic Development Employer Profiles
The region’s STEM employers have a heavy emphasis on manufacturing and
healthcare.2
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GLBR employs STEM talent at a higher rate than the rest
of the country
GLBR Top STEM Occupations by Concentration1
Sources: [1] Burning Glass (2014); [2] Economic Development Employer Profiles; [3] http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-
sheets/nursing-shortage
2.17 2.07
1.89 1.75 1.7
1.52 1.39
CNCOperator
OccupationalTherapy Assistant
Physical Therapy Assistant
Speech Language Pathologist
Manufacturing Engineer
Welder/Solderer
Industrial Engineer
National
Average
1.0
Location Quotient
• Location Quotient quantifies how concentrated a particular
occupation is in a region as compared to the nation. It also
often reveals what makes a particular region unique
Manufacturing and Healthcare related job postings lead the region in high concentration
occupations.
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GLBR is going to be more dependent on STEM jobs in
the future
Sources: [1] Burning Glass (2014); [2] Brookings Institute. “The Hidden STEM Economy,” June 2010; [3] 2010 Bureau of Economic Analysis
Regional Input / Output Model
Future job growth in the region is projected
to come from STEM occupations
Promising economic prospects for STEM
industries and jobs
STEM Industries directly and indirectly
create jobs
STEM-focused regions have significantly
higher average worker wages
• All STEM occupation groups in the region
are expected to see growth between 2014
and 20201
• The two occupation groups expected to see
the highest growth are healthcare and
computers/math, which are expected to grow
at 14% and 9%, respectively, between 2014
and 20201
• Economies that are strongly focused on
STEM, such as the Great Lakes Bay
Region’s, can realize higher job growth,
employment, wages, patenting, exports and
overall economic performance2
• Industries that offer a high percentage of
STEM jobs often indirectly create additional
jobs and generate additional GDP outside of
that industry3
• The average worker living in the most STEM
oriented metropolitan areas realizes an 11%
boost in real wages2
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The GLBR requires an effective STEM pipeline if it is to
retain existing jobs and attract new businesses.
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Requirements for a
High Performing STEM Talent Pipeline
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Target State: STEM Talent Pipeline
Sustained by
Culture of STEM
Powered by
Career & College
Ready Students
Focused on
Strengthening
Technical Skills Needed
in the Economy
Driven by
Employer Demand
Requirements for an Effective STEM Talent Pipeline
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved.. 19
Findings and Recommendations
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Key Findings
Driven by Employer Demand
Key Findings
Finding #1: Economic growth is constrained due
to challenges finding qualified STEM talent
Finding #2: Employers struggle to find STEM
talent due to a lack of technical skills, soft skills,
and required experience
Finding #3: Difficult to get a clear picture of the
region’s talent needs because of a lack of
transparency around current and future (short-
term) demand
Finding #4: Employer job expectations are
confusing due to a lack of common language used
across industries and language used is different
from education
53%
53% of employers indicated that
applicant availability has
prevented them from
developing new products or
services
27%
27% of companies do not post
jobs online
In some cases, employers will
only create one posting even if
they are looking to hire for
multiple positions
71% of employers reported having
difficulty hiring for a STEM job
within the last 12 months
71%
Key Data Points
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• Convene industry organizations to take lead on industry-specific
aggregation efforts*
• Develop survey tools that industry organizations can use to gather
employer forecasts
• Aggregate demand, supplement with external labor market data, and
communicate results
• Support efforts to enable continuous demand forecasting, aggregation, and
communication to training providers
• Bring together employers to identify in demand skill sets & competencies
and develop representative job profiles
• Develop a standardized approach for defining skill requirements on an
ongoing basis and build support for this approach within employer
community
• Build standardized process by which employers regularly communicate
skills and competencies to skill providers
Driven by Employer Demand
Key Recommendations & Strategies
Specify technical
& workplace skills
and competencies
for high-demand
STEM positions
and communicate
needs to skills
providers
1.1
Forecast near term
demand and
aggregate STEM
workforce
requirements
1.2
Recommendations Strategies
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 22
Powered by Career and College Ready Students
Key Findings
Finding #1: Strong math, science and literacy skills are the
core competencies required for a strong STEM workforce
Finding #2: Student achievement in math and science will
need to increase significantly to ensure a STEM ready
workforce
Finding #3: Students at or below the poverty level have
lower math achievement, however, there is equal room for
improvement among all students for higher achievement in
math
Finding #4: School administrators and teachers are not
always aligned on the STEM agenda
Finding #5: Measurement of STEM programming
effectiveness is limited
Finding #6: There is limited STEM-focused professional
development
Finding #7: The STEM teacher pipeline is declining
Finding #8: Pre-Kindergarten programming is important for
child development but has no conclusive direct correlation
to STEM achievement
Key Findings
97%
97% of all STEM jobs require
foundational math skills with most
requiring proficiencies by 7th
grade1
Key Data Points
Saginaw Bay-
Arenac
Michigan Average
8th Grade Math
Proficiency (35%)
Gratiot-
Isabella
Midland
8th Grade
2013 MEAP 8th Grade Math Proficient and Above
2013 MEAP 8th Grade Science Proficient
and Above
Bay-
Arenac
Midland
Michigan Average
8th Grade Science
Proficiency (20%) Gratiot-
Isabella
Saginaw
17%26%
20%20%
0
25
50
75
100
28%
53%
33%28%
0
20
40
60
80
100
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 23
Powered by Career and College Ready Students
Key Recommendations & Strategies
• Implement evidence-based programs for K-12 that show increase in
STEM interest, especially in science
• Scale project based learning methodologies for STEM learning
• Leverage STEM Subject Matter Experts to supplement curriculum and add
workplace experience into classrooms with continuity across all grades
• Provide research based proven professional learning programs for 5th – 8th
grade teachers based on leading practice pedagogy which have evidence
of increasing student achievement
• Develop and implement a structured process of data driven formative
assessments and use research based interventions to address gaps in
student learning with appropriate support resources in the form of
curriculum coaches and math specialists
• Establish agreed upon math improvement measures that will be used
across all school districts
• Integrate research based programs at colleges of education that increase
math pedagogy for incoming teachers
Recommendations Strategies
• Increase the availability of evidence-based out of classroom STEM
experiential learning opportunities for K-12*
• Target and scale evidence- based programs for girls and minorities
Improve 5th-8th
grade math
achievement
Increase in-classroom,
research based K-12
STEM aligned
programming with
evidence of increasing
interest in science
Increase the number of
out of classroom
experiential STEM
learning opportunities
2.1
2.3
2.2
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Focused on Cultivating Technical Skills Needed in the
Economy Key Findings
Finding #1: The quantity of highly skilled technical
workers coming from technical skill training
programs is not adequate to address current and
future demand
Finding #2: Misaligned incentives are a barrier to
technical skills training
Finding #3: Dated mindsets among community
stakeholders discourage pursuit of technical skill-
based careers
Finding #4: There is limited use of Work Keys or
other credentials to certify readiness for technical
(or STEM) careers
Finding #5: Working age adults represent a pool
of potential candidates to address workforce
needs through upskilling and re-training
Key Findings
• Based on the employer survey, the majority of
employers (~60%) indicated that the highest
level of education needed to fill hard to fill STEM
positions was either a high school diploma / GED
or 2 year degree/certificate2
• More than 50% of businesses surveyed cited they
could not find people with the right technical and
soft skills to perform the job
“Around here, when people hear skilled
trades, they think of the time when
people worked on a factory line.
Parents today don’t want their kids doing
that kind of work – having “dirty fingers” –
but today’s manufacturing isn’t like that
today. It’s all about technology. It’s
changed a lot.”
– Manufacturing Employer1
Key Data Points
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• Obtain commitments from employers who are willing to offer experiential
learning opportunities
• Increase job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships and coops for high
school, 2-year and 4-year students
• Develop streamlined process and universal application to facilitate easier
onboarding process for employers and students
• Develop externships for educators to further refine STEM career
knowledge
• Engage educators to evaluate structure of curricula/programs
• Convene educators to evaluate curricula against employer skill
requirements, identify gaps, and refine curricula
• Communicate the expected skills and competencies for graduates of
regional training programs
• Utilize assessments and credentials to measure job seeker skills against
technical requirements on an ongoing basis
• Build standardized feedback mechanism for continuous improvement of
programming
Focused on Strengthening Technical Skills Needed in
the Economy Key Recommendations & Strategies
Align programming
and curricula with
employer
requirements
3.1
Scale STEM
experiential
learning
opportunities
3.2
Recommendations Strategies
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 26
Sustained by a Culture of STEM
Key Findings
Finding #1: There is no common definition of
STEM within the GLBR
Finding #2: “Random acts of STEM” are not
aligned with a common agenda or supported by
metrics to evaluate effectiveness
Finding #3: GLBR parents are interested in
STEM, but not always aware of STEM program
opportunities
Finding #4: Students have limited exposure to
and understanding of different STEM occupations
Finding #5: Parents feel the primary barrier to
students engagement in STEM related activities
is a lack of interest
Finding #6: Businesses are generally willing to
help increase STEM awareness, but require
direction from education
Finding #7: Females perform on par or better
than males in core STEM competencies, but are
underrepresented in STEM careers in the region
Key Findings
90%
90% of teachers report that
their students have five or
less exposures to STEM jobs
each year1
62% of principals indicated
that there are no STEM
elective classes offered at
their school1
62%
89%
89% of parents rank STEM
education to be important for
their children’s development
87% of parents wanted to
see more STEM
opportunities in the
classroom 87%
Key Data Points
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 27
• Support expansion of STEM-scholarships by identifying areas of highest
need and identifying funders to fill those needs
• Convene educators to:
• Increase credit value and expand number of articulation
agreements between CTE, 2-year and 4-year universities
• Develop plan to embed industry recognized credentials into
curricula
• Examine national models for STEM early college
• Address availability/access to technology in schools
• Launch targeted marketing campaigns to increase STEM awareness
supported by regional STEM spokesperson(s) and website/portal
• Develop materials to educate guidance and career counselors on STEM
opportunities, resources, and tools (e.g. online career pathways)
• Develop and execute recurring student, parent, and teacher surveys to
measure interest in and awareness of STEM
• Develop requirements and identify host for region-specific career
exploration tools
• Engage students in the championing of STEM in the region
Sustained by a Culture of STEM
Recommendations and Strategies
Change
perceptions and
increase interest in
STEM
4.1
Eliminate Reduce
barriers and
incentivize
students and job
seekers to pursue
STEM careers
4.2
Recommendations Strategies
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 28
• Prioritize recommended advocacy areas and incorporate into Advocacy
Committee policy agenda
• Craft policy objectives for prioritized areas
• Leverage business community to support K-12 and Technical training
policy changes
• Identify existing communities/coalitions supporting similar/same policy
changes and explore collaboration opportunities
• Engage with state and national efforts focused on similar workforce
issues (e.g., U.S. Chamber of Commerce, NGA, STEMConnector, STEM
Partnership - MI and Bay Hub)
• Launch STEM Impact Initiative by standing up governance structure and
project management office
• Identify and engage key “influencers” across stakeholder groups from the
region
• Establish a regional scorecard and regular data collection mechanisms to
measure progress against goals
• Develop requirements and identify host for region-specific career
exploration tools
Sustained by a Culture of STEM
Recommendations and Strategies
Create a
centralized regional
STEM steering
mechanism to
guide all STEM
efforts towards a
common goal
4.3
Successfully
advocate for
policies to support
the development of
STEM talent
pipelines
4.4
Recommendations Strategies
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved.. 29
Taking Action
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 30
The Implementation Phase is
focused on the long term
activities using the lessons
learned from the Launch Phase.
This phase will expand the work
started in the Launch Phase and
will add additional activities to
realize the long term vision for
the STEM Impact Initiative.
The Launch Phase is focused
on short term activities that
will allow the GLBR to “jump
start” the overall initiative as
well as specific pilot
opportunities to test solutions
with a particular community or
institution(s) before scaling
those opportunities during the implementation phase
The Mobilization Phase
is focused on getting the
proper infrastructure in
place to support the
STEM Impact Initiative
activities. This includes
standing up the PMO
organization and
securing the leaders who
will be involved in
executing on the
recommendations
Implementation Plan: Implementation Phases
Mobilize Launch Implement
Accenture recommends a four phase implementation approach that focuses on research, standing up the initiative, piloting key initiatives, and then moving forward with full implementation. GLBR is currently entering the mobilize phase.
Mar 2015 – Dec 2015 Jan 2016
. The Research Phase
focused on establishing
the current state of the
GLBR STEM system
and identifying
recommendations and
key activities to support
the region’s
implementation of a
STEM Talent Pipeline
Research Nov 2014 – Feb 2015 Mar 2014 – Oct 2014
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 31
Infrastructure for the STEM Impact Initiative
• The GLBR Steering Team will be
comprised of key stakeholders across
the region including employers, ISDs, K-
12 administrators, teachers, parents,
economic and workforce development
agencies
• The GLBR Steering Team will be
responsible for oversight of the networks
as well as be accountable to the
community on progress towards the
collective STEM goals
• The two STEM Networks will focus on
Jobs & Skills, Students & Culture. The
STEM Networks will have the power to
convene, organize, plan, and solicit
funding to support their respective
activities
• GLBRA will take responsibility for
establishing the PMO and for the
advocacy activities
For the STEM Impact Initiative, we recommend the following infrastructure support model: a
Great Lakes Bay Region STEM Steering Team, two STEM Networks and a program management
office (PMO) housed within the GLBRA.
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 32
Target State: STEM Talent Pipeline
Sustained by
Culture of STEM
Powered by
Career & College
Ready Students
Focused on
Strengthening
Technical Skills Needed
in the Economy
Driven by
Employer Demand
Requirements for an Effective STEM Talent Pipeline
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 33
5 Priorities Moving Forward
1. Formalize Steering Team
2. Recruit leadership and participation in the
Networks
3. Define metrics for success
4. Immediately begin to build infrastructure
support
5. Develop a National & Regional Grant
Strategy
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. 34
Appendix
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 35
Requirements for an Effective STEM Talent Pipeline
Key Findings
Driven by Employer Demand
1. Economic growth is constrained due to challenges finding
qualified STEM talent
2. Employers struggle to find STEM talent due to a lack of
technical skills, soft skills and required experience
3. Difficult to get a clear picture of the region’s talent needs
because of a lack of transparency around current and future
(short term) demand
4. Employer job expectations are confusing due to a lack of
common language used across industries and language used
is different from education
Focused on Cultivating Technical Skills Needed in the
Economy
1. The quantity of highly skilled technical workers coming from
technical skill training programs is not sufficient to meet
current and future demand
2. Misaligned incentives are a barrier to technical skills training
3. Dated mindsets among community stakeholders discourage
pursuit of technical skill-based careers
4. There is limited use of Work Keys or other credentials to
certify readiness for technical (or STEM) careers
5. Working age adults represent a pool of potential candidates
to address workforce needs through upskilling and re-training
Powered by Career and College Ready Students
1. Strong math, science and literacy skills are the core
competencies required for a strong STEM workforce
2. Student achievement in math and science will need to
increase significantly to assure a STEM ready workforce
3. Students at or below the poverty level have lower math
achievement, however, there is equal room for improvement
among all students for higher achievement in math
4. School administrators and teachers are not always aligned on
the STEM agenda
5. Measurement of STEM programming effectiveness is limited
6. There is limited STEM-focused professional development
7. The STEM teacher pipeline is declining
8. Pre-Kindergarten programming is important for child
development but has no conclusive direct correlation to STEM
achievement
Sustained by a Regional STEM Culture
1. There is no common definition of STEM within the GLBR
2. “Random acts of STEM” are not aligned with a common
agenda or supported by metrics to evaluate effectiveness
3. GLBR parents are interested in STEM, but not always aware
of STEM program opportunities
4. Students have limited exposure to and understanding of
different STEM occupations
5. Parents feel the primary barrier to students engagement in
STEM related activities is a lack of interest
6. Businesses are generally willing to help increase STEM
awareness, but require direction from education
7. Females perform on par or better than males in core STEM
competencies, but are underrepresented in STEM careers in
the region
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 36
1.1 Specify technical &
workplace skills and
competencies for high-
demand STEM positions and
communicate needs directly
to skills providers
1.2 Forecast near term
demand and aggregate STEM
workforce requirements
Findings to Recommendations:
Driven by Employer Demand
A High Performing
STEM Workforce
must be Driven by
Employer Demand
Difficult to get a clear picture of the region’s talent needs because of a
lack of transparency around current and future (short term) demand
Requirement Findings Recommendations
Employer job expectations are confusing due to a lack of common
language used across industries and language used is different from
education.
The quantity of highly skilled technical workers coming from technical
skill training programs is not sufficient to meet current and future
demand
There is limited use of Work Keys or other credentials to certify
readiness for technical (or STEM) careers
Employers struggle to find STEM talent due to a lack of technical skills, soft
skills, and required experience
Economic growth is constrained due to challenges finding qualified STEM
talent
*Note: Not all findings map to recommendations within related section
Demand Findings
Technical Skills Findings Demand Findings not used for this recommendation
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 37
3.1 Improve 5th-8th grade
math achievement
3.2 Increase in-classroom,
research based K-12 STEM
aligned programming with
evidence of increasing
interest in science
3.3 Increase the number of out
of classroom experiential
STEM learning
opportunities
Findings to Recommendations:
Powered by Career and College Ready Students
A High Performing
STEM Workforce
must be Powered
by Career and
College Ready
Students
Opportunity
Student achievement in math and science will need to increase
significantly to assure a STEM ready workforce
The STEM teacher pipeline is declining
Strong math, science and literacy skills are the core competencies
required for a strong STEM workforce
Requirement Findings Recommendations
Measurement of STEM programming effectiveness is limited
There is limited STEM-focused professional development
Students have limited exposure to and understanding of different
STEM occupations
Students at or below the poverty level have lower math achievement,
however, there is equal room for improvement among all students for
higher achievement in math
Pre-K programming is important for child development but has no
conclusive direct correlation to STEM achievement
School administrators and teachers are not always aligned on the STEM
agenda
K-12 Findings
K-12 Findings not used for this recommendation
STEM Culture Findings
*Note: Not all findings map to recommendations within related section
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 38
2.1 Align programming and
curricula with employer
requirements
2.2 Scale STEM experiential
learning opportunities
Findings to Recommendations:
Focused on Cultivating Technical Skills Needed in
the Economy
A High Performing
STEM Workforce
must be Focused
on Cultivating
Technical Skills
Needed in the
Economy
Economic growth is constrained due to challenges finding qualified
STEM talent
There is limited use of Work Keys or other credentials to certify
readiness for technical (or STEM) careers
Employers struggle to find STEM talent due to a lack of technical skills,
soft skills, and required experience
Requirement Findings Recommendations
Students have limited exposure to and understanding of different
STEM occupations
Dated mindsets among community stakeholders discourage pursuit of
technical skill-based careers
Misaligned incentives are a barrier to technical skills training
The population of working age adults represent a pool of potential
candidates to address workforce needs through upskilling and re-training
The quantity of highly skilled technical workers coming from technical skill
training programs is not sufficient to meet current and future demand
Demand Findings
Technical Skills Findings
Technical Findings not used for this recommendation
STEM Culture Findings
*Note: Not all findings map to recommendations within related section
The quantity of highly skilled technical workers coming from technical
skill training programs is not sufficient to meet current and future
demand
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 39
4.1 Change perceptions and
increase interest in STEM
4.2 Eliminate reduce barriers
and incentivize students
and job seekers to pursue
STEM careers
Findings to Recommendations:
Sustained by a Regional STEM Culture
A High Performing
STEM Workforce
must be Sustained
by a Regional
STEM Culture
Dated mindsets among community stakeholders discourage pursuit of
technical skill-based careers
Parents feel the primary barrier to students engagement in STEM
related activities is a lack of interest
Parents are interested in STEM, but not always aware of STEM
program opportunities
Students have limited exposure to and understanding of different
STEM occupations
Requirement Findings Recommendations
The quantity of highly skilled technical workers coming from technical
skill training programs is not sufficient to meet current and future
demand
Misaligned incentives are a barrier to technical skills training
Females perform on par or better than males in core STEM
competencies, but are underrepresented in STEM careers in the region
“Random acts of STEM” are not aligned with a common agenda or
supported by metrics to evaluate effectiveness
There is no common definition of STEM within the GLBR
Businesses are generally willing to help increase STEM awareness
The population of working age adults represent a pool of potential
candidates to address workforce needs through upskilling and re-training
School administrators and teachers are not always aligned on the
STEM agenda
K-12 Findings STEM Culture Findings not used for this recommendation STEM Culture Findings Technical Skills Findings
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 40
4.3 Create a centralized
regional STEM steering
mechanism to guide all
STEM efforts towards a
common goal
4.4 Successfully advocate for
policies to support the
development of STEM talent
pipelines
Findings to Recommendations:
Sustained by a Regional STEM Culture
A High Performing
STEM Workforce
must be Sustained
by a Regional
STEM Culture
Requirement Findings Recommendations
“Random acts of STEM” are not aligned with a common agenda or
supported by metrics to evaluate effectiveness
There is no common definition of STEM within the GLBR
STEM Culture Findings Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 41
1.1 Specify technical & workplace skills and competencies for high-
demand STEM positions and communicate needs directly to
skills providers
1.2 Forecast near term demand and aggregate STEM workforce
requirements
Requirements to Recommendations
We have identified a set of recommendations with associated strategies to help GLBR meet the
requirements for a STEM Talent Pipeline.
STEM Talent Pipeline Requirements GLBR Recommendations
Driven by
Employer Demand
Powered by Career
and College Ready
Students
Cultivated by Technical
Skills Needed in the
Economy
3.1 Align programming and curricula with employer requirements
3.2 Scale STEM experiential learning opportunities
2.1 Improve 5th-8th grade math achievement
2.2 Increase in classroom, research-based K-12 STEM aligned
programming with evidence of increasing interest in science
2.3 Increase out of classroom experiential STEM learning
opportunities
4.1 Change perceptions and increase interest in STEM
4.2 Eliminate barriers and incentivize students and job seekers to
pursue STEM careers
4.3 Create a centralized regional STEM steering mechanism to guide
all STEM efforts towards a common goal
4.4 Successfully advocate for policies to support the development
of STEM talent pipelines
Sustained by a
Culture of STEM
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 42
GLBR STEM Definition
The STEM definition for the Great Lakes Bay Region is occupation driven. The region's
tailored list of SOC (Standard Occupation Classification) codes consists of five categories of
jobs:
• Analysts/Accounting are defined as occupations that focus on mathematics, data analysis, and
accounting.
• Engineering/Skilled Trade includes traditional engineering occupations such as Civil Engineers,
Mechanical Engineers, Engineering Technicians, and Drafters, in addition to those Skilled Trade
occupations with intensive STEM training requirements, such as CNC Machinists, Electricians,
and Plumbers.
• Healthcare includes the full range of clinical care occupations.
• IT includes all Information Technology jobs that support functions in application and website
development, database administration, networking and support, and management.
• Sciences category includes roles in hard sciences, such as biology (including non-clinical
medical research) roles, chemistry and physics.
Sources: [1] Florida STEM Index; [2] Florida STEM Index – A detailed occupation list customized for the GLBR is located in the appendix of this document
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture Confidential Information. 43
GLBR STEM Definition (continued)
An occupation driven STEM definition uses STEM occupations as the basis of understanding
what makes a STEM industry – and ultimately what STEM means to the region.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math is what enables the Great Lakes Bay
Region to be competitive in a constantly changing global economy.
• A STEM job requires2 application of knowledge across the areas of science, technology, engineering,
and/or mathematics, and demands higher order critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A STEM Job:
• Requires a post-secondary degree, industry certification/ licensure, and/or advanced training;
• Links to career pathways with increased earning potential; and
• Provides opportunities for advancement and continuous learning in STEM and non-STEM fields.
• A STEM Industry1 has a high concentration of STEM jobs, drives economic prosperity, and
promotes innovation. STEM Industry links with the Talent Pipeline to align education and training
with demand-driven and market-relevant skills.
Sources: [1] Florida STEM Index; [2] Florida STEM Index – A detailed occupation list customized for the GLBR is located in the appendix of this document