For a growing number of U.S. companies, finding skilled workers for unfilled jobs is becoming a critical priority. The dearth of talent affects a surprisingly wide array of industries, from high-tech and manufacturing to energy, healthcare, and retail. It is becoming increasingly clear that at least partial responsibility for addressing this issue will fall to the chief talent officers at major American firms. The many concurrent dialogues among business and academia are leading to partnerships and innovations that show great promise. But many agree that progress on this front isn’t happening fast enough. Top officials from several major companies will define and discuss programs to create and ensure a STEM-capable workforce, including new research from an executive roundtable convened in February by U.S. News & World Report, STEMconnector, and the University of Phoenix.
