International study on STEM careers finds concerns regarding cost, access to credentials

A recent international study commissioned by IBM has identified program cost as a leading barrier to professional or technical skills development for STEM careers. The study drew on 14,000 interviews with students, job seekers, and career changers from 13 different countries and explored their perceptions and experiences with careers in STEM. The study found that many learners and workers plan to actively seek a new job within the next year and are interested in upskilling over the next two years, but that they frequently held concerns about the cost of digital credentials and were unsure of where to start with credentials. Respondents were highly optimistic about the labour market opportunities in STEM and 75% felt that digital credentials would supplement traditional education and increase career opportunities.