School Board hears about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) needs

The Decorah School Board heard from Winneshiek County Development Director Randy Uhl on Monday night regarding STEM needs. Uhl is on a regional STEM advisory board that seeks to promote the development of STEM with the youth of Iowa. STEM was created by Governor Terry Branstad in 2011.

Uhl said he was "beating a familiar drum" and was just there to keep the issue out in front of the Decorah Schools, noting the programs they had been successful in and encouraging more. He said that STEM jobs are developing four times as fast as other jobs. There are currently 57,000 STEM jobs in the state, but that there will be a need for 68,000 by 2018.