The report offered four recommendations to increase the STW numbers:
- Change the Message: It’s important to raise awareness about STW educational pathways and career opportunities, and counter what the report called “misconceptions and lack of awareness of skilled technical career opportunities among parents, educators, guidance counselors and students.”
- Focus on the Data: Government and non-governmental stakeholders should share data on the education, skills, and workforce characteristics of the STW “to better inform consumers, develop partnerships, and leverage existing investments.”
- Leverage Federal Investments: The federal agencies that support STW programs should take a coordinated approach to better maximize their individual efforts and reap dividends from their investments.
- Build Partnerships: The nation’s educational institutions – K-12 schools, two- and four-year colleges, and other post-high school education and workforce development programs – “should work as partners together with business and industry to grow the STEM-capable U.S. workforce via STW programs that are tailored to the needs of their local communities.”