New survey shows only 31 percent of Wisconsin teens interested in STEM and Medical Careers despite significant projected growth in the field

U.S. Department of Labor projects 17 percent growth in STEM careers through 2018

Milwaukee, WI – Junior Achievement USA® (JA) and the ING U.S. Foundation’s 2013 Teens & Careers survey reveals a substantial national year-over-year decline in teens’ interest in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and medical-related fields. This is the 12th year the survey has been conducted. An executive summary of the 2013 Junior Achievement USA Teens & Career Survey is available here. In Wisconsin, 836 teens were surveyed and just 31 percent indicated an interest in those fields.

Nationally, almost half (46 percent) of all teens surveyed showed interest in pursuing either a STEM or medical-related job, yet there was a 15 percent decrease from last year’s data. Despite interest declining, the United States Department of Labor predicts employment opportunities in STEM careers will increase by 17 percent through 2018.

“It is crucial we reinvigorate teens about pursuing opportunities in STEM and medical-related careers,” said Tim Greinert, President of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “These fields drive our economy and innovation; they are high-growth career paths as well as creative outlets where teens can apply their passions.”

The survey highlighted ‘passion’ and ‘area of interest’ as the number one factor guiding teens’ career choices. In order to spark interest among teens and build momentum for these growing fields, teens need assistance. They need mentors and programs that will help guide them through these major life decisions.

“Often, students don’t realize that the classes they take today can significantly shape the careers they build tomorrow—and possibly—their long-term financial security. With an emphasis on mentoring and practical skills-building, Junior Achievement’s financial literacy and work readiness programs can play an important role in setting students on a solid career path to future success,” said Rhonda Mims, president of the ING U.S. Foundation and senior vice president, ING U.S.’s Office of Corporate Responsibility.

In 2008, JA conducted focus groups with students participating in the JA Our Nation™ program to gauge how much they knew about job opportunities in STEM related careers as a result of participating in JA. An overwhelming majority of students (89 percent) reported they became more aware of job and career opportunities utilizing STEM skills as a result of their participation in Junior Achievement.

Junior Achievement offers volunteer-led programs for students in kindergarten through high school to provide them with hands-on learning experiences and valuable role models. JA volunteers share professional experiences with students, adding a real-world dimension to the programs. Junior Achievement of Wisconsin has developed programs that enhance the financial literacy and work readiness skills of students throughout Wisconsin. These interactive simulations, JA BizTown and JA Finance Park are housed at the Junior Achievement Kohl’s Education Center, offering students an understanding of the value of money, the ability demonstrate personal financial management skills and the ability to explore careers that match their interests and abilities.

In addition, JA’s newest program, JA Career Success™, helps students identify their desired careers and better understand how to develop the skills necessary to achieve success. As part of the curriculum, students learn how to effectively conduct a job search, how best to respond to common interview questions and how positively building their personal brand can translate to a rewarding career.

Other key findings from the 2013 Junior Achievement USA Teens & Career Survey include:

·  49 percent of teens are very confident they will land their “dream” job at some point in their career.

·  34 percent of teens are financially contributing in preparation of paying for college

·  46 percent of teens said that the status of the economy has not affected their career plans; they plan to get a job and go to school at the same time.

An executive summary of the 2013 Junior Achievement USA Teens & Career Survey is available here.

Methodology

This report presents the findings of a study conducted Feb. 5-15, 2013, using the KnowledgePanel to interview 1,025 teens ages 14-18 years old. The survey’s margin of error is +/- 3 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. The local results reflected herein are from an online survey conducted during January and February 2013.

About Junior Achievement of Wisconsin: 

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin is dedicated to preparing young people for the real world, showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, create jobs which make their communities more robust, and apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Over 165,000 students in the state of Wisconsin put these lessons into action every year and learn the value of contributing to their communities.  This year JA delivered over 1.3 million contact hours to Wisconsin students during the 2012/2013 school year, a 23% increase over the previous year. 

About ING U.S.

ING U.S. (NYSE: VOYA), which plans to rebrand in the future as Voya Financial, is a premier retirement, investment and insurance company serving the financial needs of approximately 13 million individual and institutional customers in the United States.  The company's vision is to be America's Retirement Company and its guiding principle is centered on solving the most daunting financial challenge facing Americans today - retirement readiness.  Working directly with clients and through a broad group of financial intermediaries, independent producers, affiliated advisors and dedicated sales specialists, ING U.S. provides a comprehensive portfolio of asset accumulation, asset protection and asset distribution products and services.  With a dedicated workforce of approximately 7,000 employees, ING U.S. is grounded in a clear mission to make a secure financial future possible - one person, one family and one institution at a time.  For more information, visit http://ing.us.

About the ING U.S. Foundation