Data Snapshot
The Data Snapshot for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (PDF) helps educators, students and parents see connections between the Plans of Study and career opportunities in high-skill, high wage, in-demand fields.
Rick Lewis
Design Engineer, Cummins Inc., Columbus, Indiana
- J.R. Tucker High School/High Tech Academy at Highland Springs Technical Center, Henrico County Public Schools
- CTE studies: Engineering, Technical Drawing
- Additional studies: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
Revving up a career engine
During his senior year at J.R. Tucker High School, Rick Lewis’ robotics team, Sparky Team 384, placed 28th at the FIRST Robotics Competition (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Championship. The real-world engineering experience he gained from his team membership helped lead him to a career in mechanical engineering.
Rick works as a design engineer at Cummins Inc. in Indiana, a company that designs and manufactures engines. He helps design engines and provides engineering support for the company’s high horsepower engines.
In addition to the robotics team, Rick was part of a High Tech Academy at Highland Springs Technical Center. As part of the program he took engineering and earned dual credits from Virginia Commonwealth University in chemistry, physics, math, and engineering.
Rick’s internship at ITT Night Vision his sophomore year of college, and a job at General Motors the summer before his senior year of college, helped him obtain more hands-on experience.
“Experience was one of my strongest assets because I had done real-world engineering and had actually applied some of these things they were trying to teach in the classroom at Virginia Tech.”
While Rick hopes to eventually work in robotics, he loves that his current position is a design job.
“I get to take ownership of what I’m able to do at the end of the day,” he says.
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Ryan Davenport- Western Branch High School, Chesapeake Public Schools
- CTE studies: Technology Education
- Additional studies: Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
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Passion for the environment
After graduating from Virginia Tech with a degree in mechanical engineering, Ryan Davenport went on many interviews to help him decide on his career path. His last interview for an Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Leadership Program position at General Electric ended with a surprise.
“The interviewer asked me a question so simple that I hadn’t expected it: to define what I thought EHS was. (After) giving him a general description, he smiled and informed me that I didn’t know the half of what EHS professionals took part in,” Ryan said.
Ryan thought he had just blown his interview. “Little did I know that an afternoon of research, two months, and two interviews later I would be offered a wonderful opportunity with one of the leading international companies.” He has worked at GE in Greenville, S.C., since July 2011.
Currently, Ryan works in the EHS department in a manufacturing setting. The department is responsible for overseeing the health and safety of the employees at the facility, and making sure environmental regulations are met.
With mathematics and science as his strong subjects, Ryan said he knew he wanted to go into a technical career field since high school. Deciding on engineering followed naturally, he said. “An environmental science course taken in conjunction with Tidewater Community College opened my eyes to the need for a vast change from the standards of today.” He realized the combination of his strengths and his passion for the environment would be best suited in mechanical engineering.
While studying at Virginia Tech, Ryan said he never considered an EHS position, but that the few months he’s held the job have been telling. “The program itself is unmatched,” Ryan said. “Each and every person involved makes a direct effort to build and mold you into a successful professional.”
Ryan says he plans to work hard and make a name for himself. “The sky is the limit, and my drive will take me to a position where I can be successful and happy.”
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics cluster is about planning, managing, and providing scientific research and professional and technical services (e.g., physical science, social science, engineering) including laboratory and testing services and research and development services. Job opportunities in this cluster will vary depending upon specialty. Over the next decade, jobs aligned with advancing technology are predicted to boom as new career opportunities open. Individuals with college-degrees and experience have the most potential for success within this industry.
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Employment Projections: 2010-2020
Although the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career cluster has received a lot of attention in the past decade because of its powerful impact on our economy, it is still one of the smallest clusters. STEM had about 3.2 million workers in 2010; only the Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications and Government and Public Administration clusters were smaller. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in STEM occupations will grow by 10 percent to 3.5 million in 2020.
The report Employment Projections for STEM, 2010-2020 includes data on occupations growing faster that the nation average, pathways employment overview, occupations with the most job openings, and employment projections.
Occupations in this cluster and what they make in Virginia |
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| Occupation | Employed in VA | Typical salary | Education level** |
Aerospace engineers |
4,040 |
$65K – $147K |
4C/MD |
Agricultural and food science technicians |
120 |
$22K – $54K |
HS/4C |
Anthropologists and archeologists |
220 |
$32K – $89K |
4C/MD |
Chemical engineers |
1,010 |
$59K – $146K |
4C/MD |
Chemical technicians |
960 |
$25K – $68K |
HS/4C |
Chemists |
1,310 |
$40K – $117K |
4C/MD |
Conservation scientists |
430 |
$37K – $89K |
4C |
Electrical and electronics drafters |
550 |
$34K – $86K |
CC/4C |
Electrical engineers |
6,760 |
$54K – $131K |
4C/MD |
Geoscientists |
500 |
$45K – $170K |
4C/MD |
Materials scientists |
160 |
$45K – $131K |
4C/MD |
Mechanical engineers |
7,200 |
$51K – $119K |
4C |
Physicists |
950 |
$58K – $171K |
MD/DP |
** | HS: High school | CC: Community college | 4C: Four-year college | MD: Master’s degree | DP: Doctoral or Professional degree |
Career Cluster Planning
A resource for counselors, administrators, and educators
CTE Administrative Planning Guide (APG) – includes information to help local school divisions plan and schedule instructional programs. The APG is organized by career clusters, with a complete listing of courses, concentration sequences, and credentials available to students as they plan for career entry and continuing education. Users may access course information by cluster or by searching for specific courses or certifications.
Career Planning Guide – includes an easy way for students and counselors to look for courses to further career goals. One can search for occupations, browse by Career Clusters or favorite academic subjects.
Academic and Career Plans of Study
Development Information
Information and tips for instructional leaders, administrators, counselors and teachers/faculty for creating a career pathway academic and career plan of study.
- Science Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Cluster Information
- Checklist for Developing Career Clusters Plans of Study (Word)
Sample Academic and Career Plans of Study
School divisions are asked to develop sample plans of study based on the courses offered within their schools, the employment needs of the region, and the post-high school educational opportunities needed for these careers. Once these sample plans are developed, they can be customized to the needs of individual students so that all students have the opportunity to have an individualized academic and career plan of study.
Sample Pathway Plans of Study for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics:
- Engineering & Technology (Agriculture) (Word)
- Engineering & Technology (Technology) (Word)
- Science & Math (Word)
- Blank Plan of Study (with fields) (Word)
Also see Sample Plans of Study for all clusters and pathways.
Resources
The Career Clusters logo and its extensions are the property of the National Career Technical Foundation, as managed by NASDCTEc. Some content on this page is from the publication, R U College & Career Ready? - 2013 Edition; and is used here with permission from the Virginia Business Publications LLC and Trailblazers in the Demographics and Workforce Section of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.
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