The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Joyce Gannon
“While a clear majority of parents in the U.S. believe it’s important to educate students in the so-called STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and math, many hold misperceptions about how gaining expertise and degrees in those fields can boost job options. In recent study commissioned by the Alcoa Foundation, 77 percent of those surveyed were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to encourage their child to pursue a career in manufacturing industries, but 67 percent don’t consider manufacturing jobs ripe for advancement. About one-fifth, or 21 percent, of respondents associate manufacturing and trade jobs with minimum wage salaries that provide no benefits or health insurance. “These perceptions could not be further from reality,” the foundation said in a news release detailing the survey results. The foundation cited statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce that show the average annual salary for entry-level manufacturing engineers is $60,000 and 90 percent of manufacturing workers have medical benefits.”(more)