API Celebrates STEM Day and Third Anniversary of STEM Careers Coalition
Rebecca Winkel
Posted November 15, 2022
In honor of National STEM Day and the three-year anniversary of the STEM Careers Coalition we want to bring attention to the importance of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). These fields are the educational foundation for many positions within the U.S. natural gas and oil workforce and some of the fastest growing, and highest-paying, jobs of the future.
America’s natural gas and oil industry supports 11.3 million jobs, including direct non-retail occupations that pay on average 60% more than other industries. But a world-class workforce doesn’t just happen. That is why API and its members support STEM education programs so students can build the knowledge base they need to enjoy fulfilling careers in natural gas and oil.
API’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Initiative is focused on expanding the industry’s diverse talent and supplier pipelines – and STEM education is a core component. A few examples of this initiative in action includes SkillsReady by API, a new job readiness training program that prepares participants for careers in industry operations roles and the API Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Initiative that provides our library of over 800 world-class industry standards free of charge to MSIs.
As we celebrate STEM Day, API is honored to be a founding member of The STEM Careers Coalition with Discovery Education since its launch on Nov. 8, 2019. Since then, it has expanded from the 5 founding organizations to about 25 industry partners representing a wide range of interests and careers in STEM. It was launched with the mission to impact 10 million students through 2025; to-date the coalition has reached more than 5.7 million and is confident it will meet its goal.
During the 2021-22 school year API’s more than 75 pieces of content with the coalition—all free resources available through its website—impacted more than 456,000 students. This content spans career videos and profiles, classroom activities, digital lesson bundles, and more. API promotes all careers in our industry, especially those in the skilled trades. In fact, two of the top three API career videos on the coalition site (those with the most views) were for occupations not requiring a four-year degree – truck driver and welder. API continues to be a proud partner of the STEM Careers Coalition and has more curricular content available and in-development for the 2022-23 school year.
API is dedicated to building the workforce of the future. One of API’s core principles is a commitment to hiring, training and developing a highly skilled and diverse workforce. One of our 10 policy priorities is to strengthen our industry through increased funding of work-based learning and the advancement of STEM programs. Through the STEM Careers Coalition and our other education initiatives, we are helping the next generation of natural gas and oil workers become our industry’s best problem solvers.
About The Author
Rebecca Winkel is a senior economic policy advisor at API, leading research on employment and the future of work, education pathways, diversity, equity inclusion, social responsibility, and sustainability. Rebecca works closely with teams across API on program development, grassroots outreach and stakeholder engagement with black, indigenous and people of color communities, women, veterans, labor unions, and other diverse allies, with a focus on workforce development and STEM education. Rebecca graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Brigham Young University (BYU). She also holds a master’s degree in public policy from BYU. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and two children.