Celebrating STEM Education: Today’s Foundation for Tomorrow’s Workforce

Megan Bloomgren
Posted November 10, 2021

This week, educators and students alike commemorated National STEM Day to bring awareness and celebrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – the educational foundation for many within the U.S. natural gas and oil workforce and some of the fastest growing, and highest-paying, jobs of the future.

America’s natural gas and oil industry supports 11.3 million jobs, including direct non-retail occupations that pay on average 80% more than the everyday U.S. job. But a world-class workforce doesn’t just happen. That is why API and its members are supporting education in the STEM areas so that students are building the knowledge base they will need to enjoy fulfilling careers in natural gas and oil.

Industry offers great opportunity and is actively working to further diversify its workforce. One study estimated that nearly 50% of industry’s job opportunities through 2040 are projected to be filled by African Americans, Hispanics, Asians or non-whites. Encouraging news – but much more work needs to be done.

For example, women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce across industries. Gender and racial biases in education, lack of peer networks, workforce discrimination and the pay gap represent just a few of the barriers facing young women and girls in their pursuit of STEM education and career development. As part of this week’s STEM celebrations, API sponsored and participated in a webinar with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) on Women in STEM.

API Senior Economic Advisor Rebecca Winkel joined the panel along with Dr. Gabriela Schlau-Cohen from MIT’s Department of Chemistry and Rachael Scheffler from the STEM Careers Coalition with Discovery Education.

Moderated by Dr. Leshell Hatley, AAUW’s Director of STEM Programs, the distinguished panel discussed the opportunities facing the next generation of women in STEM. Their dialogue centered on demystifying the pathways to success in these fields and building a more inclusive national STEM community.

Rachael Scheffler, senior director STEM Careers Coalition, Discovery Education:

“Everyone knows that there is a tremendous amount of work that has to be done to really bring equity into our STEM jobs, and frankly all jobs across the United States at this moment. … Students need to learn about careers that are out there to explore. We need to be modeling examples, especially for young girls.”

Rebecca Winkel, API senior economic advisor:

"One of the things that everyone can agree on right now is that the energy questions we face are some of the greatest of our time. How to provide affordable, reliable energy globally in an increasingly sustainable way. To continue to innovate and progress and to tackle these questions, we have to have the brightest minds – and that means we need women. We need women in STEM."

While National STEM Day may be behind us, API and our members continue to invest in STEM education year-round. Stay tuned, as we’ll be highlighting these efforts over the coming months in the lead-up to our latest STEM program, a partnership with Discovery Education to promote and advance STEM initiatives nationwide.