Watch: Acting Secretary Harris on STEM Education, Jobs

On June 19, acting Labor Secretary Seth Harris participated in several panel discussions and events that addressed science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) issues and ways to provide for a more successful future during the U.S. News STEM Solutions National Conference in Austin, Texas.

Here are a few quick snippets of Secretary Harris' responses from the conference that I thought you might be interested in:

Video 1: "Middle Skill" STEM jobs
During the Austin Community College District event "We Bought a Mall," Secretary Harris talks about why we can't only think about white collar occupations when we discuss investments in STEM jobs.

Video 2: Employer Engagement With STEM trainingDuring the "What Big Employers Want" panel discussion, Secretary Harris discusses the need for STEM employers to engage with the community, particularly high school and community college, to better prepare the workforce for the future.

Video 3: Training for STEM Jobs
During the "What Big Employers Want" panel discussion, Secretary Harris discusses the outdated idea there are only two categories of STEM jobs: those that only need a high school diploma vs. those that need an advanced degree.

What's your take on these issues? Do you agree with Secretary Harris' opinions on STEM education and jobs and what needs to be done to improve them, or do you have your own opinions about how to improve our manufacturing sector?

Sarah Cechowski is the associate digital editor for Control Design and Industrial Networking. Email her at [email protected] or check out her Google+ profile.