Abstract:

This paper presents how critical workforce shortages in the emerging STEM fields of technology (EmTech), i.e., advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors, microelectronics, alternative energy, etc., are impacting the workforce in the United States. The demands for EmTech graduates have become so great that many employers have changed their hiring criteria; over 60% of today’s high-need EmTech employers no longer require new hires to have an earned bachelor’s degree. Instead, they are asking applicants to demonstrate that they can execute professional competencies or provide validated certificates as evidence of their expertise.

In an attempt to alleviate this shortage, the National Science Foundation recently announced a new program, ExLent, that will support alternative career routes outside of higher education. On October 19, 2022, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the launching of a new division entitled Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLent), a highly acclaimed initiative supported by the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP). ExLent is aimed at “supporting experiential learning opportunities for individuals from diverse professional and educational backgrounds that will increase access to, and interest in career pathways in emerging technology fields, e.g., advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors, microelectronics, and alternative energy (National Science Foundation, 2022a).

According to NSF, large scale societal challenges like climate change, clean energy, and unforeseen issues related to security, safety, and privacy necessitate the development of a highly skilled STEM workforce. The director of ExLent goes on to say that while historically important, “traditional STEM education pathways are not by themselves sufficient to address the large workforce shortages that the nation faces today in the emerging areas of technology” (National Science Foundation, 2022a). Further, according to the NSF’s assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), “the ExLent program offers a new pathway for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to gain on-the-job training in technologies that are critical to the nation’s long-term competitiveness…and that training individuals at any and all stages of their careers or with varying experience in the STEM workforce can ensure more equitable access to high-skill well-paying STEM job opportunities” (National Science Foundation, 2022a).

There is great competition in higher education for a decreasing pool of traditional age students and institutions are incentivized to look elsewhere for students to pay their bills, and non-degree completers and military veterans have become a commodity for which many institutions are vying. Competition for these non-traditional students has become keener as funding agencies like NSF begin to develop new divisions like ExLent to address the rising demand for EmTech talent. This paper describes the new NSF program, ExLent, and raises questions regarding the potential impacts on higher education and looks at the increasing need to development partnerships between higher education and potential employers.

Keywords:

Workforce development, emerging technologies, NSF, experiential learning.