Gen Z Hispanics and STEM

The U.S. workforce is forecast to grow 5.2% by 2028. Jobs in the STEM sector will grow by even more, 8.8%. The emergencies created by Covid-19 highlight the need for a strong domestic STEM sector. It also highlights the urgency for racial/ ethnic equity – in access to STEM technology and in cultivating the future STEM workforce. Gen Z – today’s students – will be critical to meeting the growing demand for STEM professionals.

The U.S. already struggles to fill STEM jobs, with three in five U.S. employers taking 12+ weeks to fill positions like web developers, information security analysts, industrial engineers, etc. Gen Z could change that if more Gen Z Hispanics pursue STEM careers. Hispanics are one in four U.S. students (25%) – second only to Whites (51%). Hispanic adults, historically underrepresented in STEM, continue to be an underutilized talent pool. They currently comprise 17% of the workforce overall but merely 8% of the STEM workforce.

This report analyzes data, collected prior to the Covid-19 crisis, from SRF’s survey of 16K+ high school students in STEM classrooms nationwide. It compares Hispanic students with peers from groups historically overrepresented in STEM [ORGs] – Whites and Asians, identifying evidence-based insights to expand the STEM talent pool.

The data clearly show that Hispanic and White/ Asian students like STEM. They:

• like STEM subjects at similar rates (86% vs. 89%, respectively)
• aspire to STEM careers at similar rates (47% vs. 50%, respectively). These similarities are remarkable, given that a more recent SRF survey found Hispanic high school students less likely than ORG peers to have internet access at home or feel school is preparing them for digital citizenship.

However, these similarities co-exist with divergences that may affect retention in the STEM pipeline:

• STEM coursework. Hispanic seniors are less likely than ORG peers to report taking 7+ high school STEM courses (20% vs. 31%).
• GPA. Among students aspiring to STEM careers, fewer Hispanics than ORGs report being “A” students (34% vs. 52%).
• STEM confidence. Among Seniors with 7+ STEM courses, fewer Hispanics than ORGs score high on STEM confidence (42% vs. 53%).
• College plans. Among seniors, Hispanics more frequently than ORGs aspire to attend community college (26% vs. 14%).

Hispanic girls merit special attention in efforts to attract more Hispanics to STEM:

• Hispanic girls are more likely than Hispanic boys to report being “A” students (40% vs. 29%), but less likely than boys to score high on STEM confidence (22% vs. 30%).
• Hispanic girls’ STEM confidence benefits less than boys’ from STEM courses. The gender gap in STEM confidence jumps from 8 points overall, to 20 points among those with 7+ STEM courses.

Now that the STEM interest of Hispanics rivals that of students from groups historically overrepresented in STEM, evidence-based interventions addressing the four areas where Hispanics and ORGs diverge – as well as the gender gap – may be critical for retaining more Hispanics in the STEM pipeline. Success will provide the U.S. with the people to fill STEM jobs and maximize America’s potential to leverage a unique advantage in global competition: diversity.