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ATLANTA — Georgia State is among a dozen universities across the country selected to participate in a project funded by the National Science Foundation to better understand how graduate schools are preparing STEM workers.
The 12 universities, which are members of the Council of Graduate Schools, will survey graduating master’s students to examine the extent to which the skills, expertise and competencies gained in master’s programs align with rapidly evolving workforce and industry needs, the council said.
The goal of the three-year project is to better understand how master’s education across all fields prepares the STEM workforce.
“I am proud that the Council of Graduate Schools selected Georgia State to contribute to national conversations about workforce development through master’s education,” said Lisa Armistead, dean of the Graduate School. “At the Graduate School, we are motivated to find every opportunity to contribute to our master’s students’ professional development.”
Each year, Georgia State graduates nearly 2,000 master’s degree students, with about 700 of those earning degrees in STEM-related fields, Armistead said. The Graduate School offers more than 90 master’s programs across nine colleges and schools.
As part of the project, known as “Understanding Roles of Master’s Education in Entry Into, and Upskilling and Reskilling for, the STEM Workforce,” participating universities will contribute data for future research on master’s education while providing insights into labor market outcomes by various fields of study. The survey will also examine factors such as gender, race and ethnicity, and career stage.
“Recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveal that many of the fastest-growing fields will require master’s degrees, but little information exists about professional pathways,” the Council of Graduate Schools said. “This project seeks to understand the variety of ways that master’s degree holders contribute to the evolving STEM workforce, and what types of attributes, experiences and support enhance a student’s success as they transition to new careers.”
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