Recruiting only STEM degree Officers in the Air Force

RECRUITING ONLY STEM DEGREE OFFICERS IN THE AIR FORCE

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Recruiting only STEM degree Officers in the Air Force

Air Force is seen as the high-technology military branch, across the service itself and among the general public. It is critical to the goals and priorities set by the Air Force across its mission to sustain sufficient Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) capacity throughout the personnel. The Air Force entails possessing technical expertise and skills to be used in the numerous ranges of processes and activities connected to the employment of the air, development, and cyber functional capacity[1].

In this briefing, I tend to provide insight against the recruitment of STEM degree officers only into the Air Force. I base my argument on the perceived inequality that exists in the workplace, especially among females in STEM jobs who work closely with the male gender.

Discussion

To assess the health of the Air Force's STEM workforce, it is crucial not to undervalue the needs of officers with STEM degrees to ensure that the Air Force maintains the technical skills it greatly relies on to support the Force's operations. This is because the days of assumed American space and air superiority are over[2].

Recruiting officers holding STEM degrees enables the Force to recruit more able-bodied air persons. This will increase the level of diversity in the Air Force since there will be acceptance of a wide range of college degrees. As a result, some Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC), which don't require STEM degrees will not be undermanned. However, without inclusion and diversity, the Force would weaken and would be prone to fail in the long run[3]. This can be solved by not accepting only STEM degree holders to reduce disparities in the workforce. It validates that each individual, whether he or she possesses a STEM degree or not, possesses a unique inherent trait that shows diversity in their backgrounds and experiences. 

Recruiting only STEM degree holders would reduce the number of air-persons that have the capability of becoming Air Force officers. It would also increase the number of STEM degree holders engaging in all the AFSCs that don’t require these degrees, since not all high-paying jobs require STEM skills or degrees. This is to say that if the Air Force recruits individuals holding high soft skills, such as problem-solving skills, communication, and teamwork, and high STEM degrees would increase productivity and encourage diversity in the Force. it is reported that recruiting more STEM degree officers will result in technological inventions, new processes, and new products that facilitate an increase in employment and economic growth[4]. However, it is unclear whether this technical ability actually plays a part in economic growth and drives employment. Therefore, it is crucial not to solely focus on the technical aspects of invention, since it minimizes the importance of skills such as communication, problem-solving, resilience, teamwork, and critical thinking. 

Conclusion

The Air Force should not accept nor recruit STEM degree officers only. This is because there is an existence of inequality in the Air Force, due to the tendency to undervalue the needs of officers with STEM degrees. Recruiting more STEM holders will negatively affect some Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) that doesn't require STEM degrees. It is also unclear whether the technical ability possessed by STEM holders actually plays a part in economic growth and drives employment. Therefore, it is important not to focus on technical aspects only to avoid minimizing other related skills.

Bibliography

Bagilhole, Barbara. Understanding equal opportunities and diversity: The social

differentiations and intersections of inequality. Policy Press, 2009.

Beede, David N., Tiffany A. Julian, David Langdon, George McKittrick, Beethika

Pitts, David. "Diversity management, job satisfaction, and performance: Evidence from US federal agencies." Public Administration Review 69, no. 2 (2009): 328-338.

[1] Pitts, David. "Diversity management, job satisfaction, and performance: Evidence from US federal agencies." Public Administration Review 69, no. 2 (2009): 328-338.

[2] Bagilhole, Barbara. Understanding equal opportunities and diversity: The social differentiations and intersections of inequality. Policy Press, 2009.

[3] Pitts, David, 338.

[4] Beede, David N., Tiffany A. Julian, David Langdon, George McKittrick, Beethika