Examination of the U.S. Air Force's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce Needs in the Future and Its Strategy to Meet Those Needs (2010) / Chapter Skim
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2 Role of STEM Capabilities in Achieving the Air Force Vision and Strategy
2 Role of STEM Capabilities in Achieving the Air Force Vision and Strategy
Pages 20-33
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From page 20... ...
It then describes the contribution of STEM-degreed and STEM-cognizant personnel in development, acquisition, and sustainment activities. The third major section focuses more specifically on STEM-degreed personnel–both officers and civilians -- and their presence across the Air Force workforce, as well as in positions that currently require a STEM degree.
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From page 21... ...
In keeping with these developments, and in recognition of existing Air Force missions, there is no question that maintaining credible deterrence in an evolving environment requires robust STEM capabilities in the workforce. Emerging Technologies Since the end of the Cold War, the Air Force has evolved to be an expeditionary air warfare force capable of (1)
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From page 22... ...
Many of these people will also require experience in the development, acquisition, fielding, and employment of future space forces. Although there are no stated requirements for STEM education in the space operations career field, the growing need for greater technical skills and experience across the space mission area, both in terms of acquisition and operation, is clear.4 The necessary skills and experience can be 3 In military parlance, an operator of a system or item of technology, whether the technology is an entire weapon platform or component weapon system, an entire information system or a station at a system node, etc., is the individual who uses (operates)
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From page 23... ...
It is currently formulating its organization, career field, training, equipage, doctrine, and tactics for cyberspace operations as a distinct force component (i.e., a numbered major unit or "air force") within the Air Force.
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Although the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) and AFSPC have the largest concentrations of STEM-degreed personnel among the major commands, STEM-degreed and STEM-cognizant personnel in the operational commands and in the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center play crucial roles in defining requirements, testing systems for operational suitability, and operationally maturing TTPs for all Air Force weapon systems.
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From page 25... ...
During system development and acquisition, engineers in the AFMC and AFSPC program offices conduct technology readiness assessments, identify the highest technology risk areas, establish technology risk-reduction plans, and actively evaluate the efforts of industry to ensure that the technology risk has been reduced or that lower-risk alternatives have been identified. Product center commanders, program managers, and retired senior acquisition officials interviewed by the committee all pointed out that having personnel with STEM skills provides greater understanding of the underlying technology and its inherent issues.5 They possess the skills and experience necessary to analyze and interpret data and make recommendations.
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From page 26... ...
STEM-DEGREED PERSONNEL IN THE CURRENT AIR FORCE WORKFORCE The preceding sections of this chapter have argued for the pervasive value of STEM-degreed and STEM-cognizant personnel across Air Force missions and domains -- with particular emphasis on the essential role that STEM capabilities play throughout the acquisition life cycle. This section focuses on current requirements for STEM-degreed personnel specifically and on the value of STEM-degreed personnel throughout the Air Force workforce, whether or not they are in a position that requires a STEM degree.
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From page 27... ...
Figure 2-1 shows the proportion of technical degree holders among key officer career fields of interest to this study for four promotion phase points between 1994 and 2009.7 A caveat in interpreting this graph and others based on the Air Force's Personnel Database is that the definition of a technical degree in that database does not correspond exactly to the list of majors or fields of study in the committee's delineation of STEM degrees in Table 1-1. Nonetheless, the match is close enough to use these statistics, provided in Air Force briefings to the committee, as indicators of trends and issues.
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From page 28... ...
Figure 2-2 shows that the inventory of officers with technical degrees in the Air Force is not confined to the career fields requiring a STEM degree. Sizable populations that may qualify as STEM-degreed are present in other career fields.
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Percentage of Civilians with Technical Degrees by Occupational Series. Note that not all technical degrees as defined by this source are STEM degrees.
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From page 30... ...
Similarly, the discussion of cyberspace in this chapter argues for the essential role that STEM capabilities will play in an emerging fourth Air Force core competency in cyber operations. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The preceding exploration of current and future Air Force missions and roles points to the Air Force's substantial needs for the technical skills and expertise provided by STEM-degreed or STEM-cognizant personnel in the development, operation, and sustainment of current Air Force systems and in the fielding and operations of new capabilities, including those in the emerging missions of the space and cyber domains, which are both technology intensive.
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From page 31... ...
Most officer career fields include STEM-degreed personnel to varying degrees. However, only five military officer career fields have stated requirements for STEM education; other officer career fields have no stated requirement for STEM-degreed or STEM-cognizant personnel.
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Only about 40 percent of the officers in the Acquisition Management career field have technical degrees, and fewer than 10 percent of civilians in the Business and Industry occupational series, which includes acquisition managers, have technical degrees. Recommendation 2-2.
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From page 33... ...
1997. Joint mission-essential tasks, Joint Vision 2010, core competencies, and global engagement: Short vs.
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