While the STEM talent crisis makes national news, it manifests differently in each community. An employer may struggle to find engineers with advanced postsecondary degrees in one region, and yet that same employer may have plenty of engineering candidates but struggle to achieve diversity goals in another location. Communities also feel the pressure to develop their local workforce. While our economy is increasingly global, the majority of economic growth happens locally.

Regional Approaches to STEM Workforce Development: A Guide for Employers outlines how employers can address their STEM talent needs and support communities in meeting their economic goals through a cross-sector, place-based approach.

This paper provides employers with three specific ways they can engage in a regional STEM workforce development effort, as well as guidance for education and community groups in partnering for success. The approaches and examples include:

1. Joining or launching a STEM cradle-to-career effort
2. Creating a portfolio of investments that includes every stage of the STEM talent pipeline
3. Investing in a specific cross-sector intersection point in the STEM talent pipeline

We are grateful to the participants in the K-12 STEMconnector Innovation Lab (September 2019) for their valuable input that is reflected in this final product.