Get A Degree In Science And Choose A Specialty!

Americans might remember when there was this term called the "brain drain". By that we mean the country's loss and/or decline of top scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians (often referred to as STEM fields) due to problems with our secondary school systems and competition from overseas.

At present, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states there are just short of 6 million filling those occupations, but there is also an extreme need for more. In fact, the need is so acute, previous president George W. Bush and now Barrack Obama have put forth a number of programs to counter this situation, including financial aid, grants and public policy positions. Changing from your current occupation to one of these fields can be accomplished with online college classes as you work.

These programs keep online colleges exceedingly busy. They are not only helping young students obtain their first Bachelor's degree, but also seasoned scientists and engineers needing to advance to their Masters and Ph.Ds. At its core, STEM is a field of perpetual study. It's also so broad view, it can use clearer definition. First though, one should define the four divisions, i.e. science, engineering, math and tech. According to the Bureau, they are:

(1) Natural Science Occupations - What the government is primarily looking for falls into three main subdivisions: Life scientists, physical scientists and natural scientist technicians. They are 13% (752,000) of all STEM personnel. Specialists include agricultural and food scientists, biological scientists, conservation, environmentalists and geophysicists, astronomers and medical scientists. There is also a major need for technicians to assist scientists in conducting experiments through reporting the results.

(2) Engineering - The second largest group at 2.2 million (approximately 37% of the STEM personnel). Almost everything on the market today is due to some engineer taking a scientist's idea and finding a practical way to use it. The number of specialties is as broad as the number of people in the field. They include agricultural, biomedical, chemical, civil (the largest category), electrical/electronics and mechanical engineers among others. There are also drafters and technicians, who assist the engineers in designing and then testing the products they help produce.

(3) Technology - The largest group at approximately 2.9 million (almost 50%), these people are the main work force of the field, and the fed primarily reserves this category for those in computer and information tech. These people make computers function. Some workers create new software, others design computer systems, some just work on databases. Others teach people how to use computers and while others keep them running in proper order. It should be noted though this area also does design and development of the machines.

(4) Mathematicians - While the least represented of these groups at barely 57,000 (less than 1%), their impact can be profound. They focus purely on numbers. Mathematicians then are divided into two main subcategories. The first is theoretical, and includes pure mathematicians, operations research analysts and statisticians. Practical mathematicians work on such things as your insurance premiums to setting odds for gambling establishments.

In general, these kinds of workers earn as much as 70 percent more than the average worker. Most of them also come with exceptional benefits packages due to their extreme shortage. A 10% to 31% growth is projected for STEM fields, allowing the entrance of many who are receiving their degrees in the near future.

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