Skilled Technical Workforce (STW) Resources
The National Science Board (NSB) Task Force on the Skilled Technical Workforce was charged with identifying the opportunities and challenges facing students, incumbent workers, businesses, educators, and others involved with the skilled technical workforce (STW) and recommending to the NSB strategies to strengthen the STW. Estimates suggest that there are over 16 million skilled technical jobs for workers with an associate degree, or similar level qualification, rather than a four-year degree.
The National Science Foundation’s mission includes a mandate to support science and engineering education programs at all levels and technical education and training at associate degree-granting colleges.
We invite you to explore NSB’s current and past work on the STW, including the 2015 report which called for building a STEM-capable U.S. workforce, our 2018 policy brief, listening sessions we’ve held with students, faculty, employers, and policymakers in different regions of the U.S., and other activities, including congressional testimony by STW Task Force Chair Victor McCrary.
For information on the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics’ policy neutral initiative on Skilled Technical Workforce data please see: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/stw/skilled-technical-workforce.cfm.
Activities
Reports
The STEM Workforce is Resilient, Even During a Global Pandemic
THE SKILLED TECHNICAL WORKFORCE: Crafting America's Science & Engineering Enterprise One Pager
THE SKILLED TECHNICAL WORKFORCE: Crafting America's Science & Engineering Enterprise Report
Our Nation's Future Competitiveness Relies on Building a Stem-Capable U.S. Workforce: A Policy Companion Statement to Science and Engineering Indicators 2018
NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Listening Sessions
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force listen to members of the US Submarine Force, May 3, 2024.
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force held a listening session at the Advanced Technological Education Principal Investigators' Conference, Oct. 25, 2018.
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force held a listening session at Florence - Darlington Technical College, Sept. 26, 2018.
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force held a listening session at NSF's Community College Innovation Challenge, June 12, 2018.
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force held a listening session at Macomb Community College, Apr. 19, 2018.
NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force held a listening session at Baton Rouge Community College, Oct. 26, 2017.
Congressional Activities
Victor McCrary, Chair of NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force, was on the Congressional Black Caucus Technology and Infrastructure Development Task Force panel on “Blue Collar STEM: The Future of the U.S. Workforce.”
Victor McCrary, Chair of NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force, testified before the House Subcommittee on Research and Technology on "Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships for STEM Education and Careers."
Videos
Industry leaders discuss their skilled technical workforce needs.
Reavelyn Pray, student at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, discusses her path from community college to a planned career in STEM entrepreneurship.
NSB members, employers, and students discuss the opportunities that exist in the skilled technical workforce.
Victor McCrary, Chair of NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force, discusses the importance of the skilled technical workforce.
Florence-Darlington Technical College's newscast of NSB's Skilled Technical Workforce Task Force listening session.
NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Meetings
May 2019 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Session
November 2018 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Session
July 2018 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Session
May 2018 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce Session
February 2018 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce presentation "Grow with Google" by Lisa Gevelber
August 2017 NSB Skilled Technical Workforce panel discussion