Wasted Education: How We Fail Our Graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

The failure of STEM jobs is an urgent reality check for America's blinkered fixation on STEM education, with as many as 70% of STEM graduates opting out of STEM work due to "burn and churn" management practices, lack of job security, constant training, and exclusion of women, people of color, and older workers. We must change the way we treat the workers on whom our future depends to improve the return on our STEM education investments.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2024
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

The urgent need for a reality check regarding America's unwavering focus on STEM education arises. In a world where tech companies reign supreme, driven by their dominance in the American enterprise and economic growth, they simultaneously lament the scarcity of STEM professionals. Moreover, we are faced with pressing scientific challenges that demand innovative solutions. As a society, we have invested substantial resources, including billions of dollars, in nurturing young minds for well-paying STEM careers. However, despite these efforts, we are witnessing a significant worker exodus, with up to 70% of STEM graduates choosing to opt out of STEM work. Sociologist John D. Skrentny delves into the underlying reasons behind this phenomenon, unveiling a straightforward truth: the failure of STEM jobs.

Wasted Education, a compelling book, sheds light on the detrimental effects of STEM work on bright graduates. It exposes the practices of "burn and churn" management, where employees are constantly subjected to high turnover rates, lack of job security, and the need for continuous training to adapt to an ever-expanding stream of new and often socially harmful technologies. Furthermore, the book highlights the exclusion of women, people of color, and older workers, perpetuating existing inequalities in the workplace.

Recognizing the need for change, Wasted Education emphasizes the imperative of altering our approach to treating the workers upon whom our future depends. It calls for a shift towards policies that prioritize job stability, employee well-being, and inclusivity. By addressing the root causes of the failure of STEM jobs, we can strive to enhance the return on our investments in STEM education and create a more equitable and prosperous future for all.

Weight: 481g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226825793