Not the answer but the solution: STEM education builds a new breed of worker that will help North Carolina businesses meet their future challenges.

• Position: EDUCATION ROUND TABLE - Interview

Companies are looking for works. They need people who not necessarily trained to fill a specific role but can adapt and find solutions to challenges. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics--STEM--education build those skills, among others, in students though bands--on project and real--life scenarios. It will play an important role in making sure the country and North Carolina remain economic and technological leaders in the global marketplace. A panel of industry and education leaders recently gathered to discuss the state of STEM education. Participating were Sam Houston, president and CEO of North International Education in Chapel Hill; John Hardin, executive director of the Office of Science and Technology at the N.C. Department of Commerce; Robert H. Matheson III, principal of Wake N.C. State University STEM Early College High School in Raleigh; Matthew Meyer, associate vice president of STEM Innovations for the N.C. Community College System; Martha Barnwell, general manager of workforce planning and development for Charlotte--based Duke Energy Carp.; and Lisa Zannoni, bead of biotechnology regulatory affair and stewardship for Switzerland--based Syngenta International AG, which sponsored and hosted the discussion at its Research Triangle Park office. It was co-sponsored by the N.C. Community College System and Duke Energy. BUNNESS NORTH CAROLINA Publisher Ben Kinney moderated the moderated the discussion. The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

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Why is STEM education important to North Carolina businesses?

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Rectanus: STEM jobs are growing three times faster than jobs in other sectors. By some calculations, we have 1.5 STEM jobs for every unemployed person in North Carolina. Look at Kannapolis, where you've got a great research institution. About 5,000 manufacturing jobs left there, and now about 5,000 new jobs are expected, but they demand different skills. We see that happening across the state. It's not about just doctors and researchers--it's farmers, the manufacturing floor, you name it. STEM skills are the skills that every job requires. We have to bring those jobs here, no matter where they come from. And to continue to get investments here in the state, we're going to have to focus on STEM. The important thing for businesses to understand is these employees are the hardest to find, the hardest to keep and the most critical for growth.

Hardin: The Department of Commerce's mission is to promote economic development and quality of life for all North Carolinians. One of the key ways it does that is by recruiting new companies to North Carolina. Our business and industry division lists the priorities of all the companies that they talk to and No. 1 or No. 2 is almost always a skilled workforce. They may not specifically say STEM educated, but they mean STEM, because they want a skilled workforce. And whether it is a high-tech or a low-tech company, a skilled workforce is still needed. My office deals with a lot of small businesses. We award grants to companies to help them develop and commercialize innovative technologies, and at least half of that money goes to pay labor. Their labor pool is essentially STEM-educated workers, who are above-average skill level, above-average wage level and above-average retention level.

Houston: When we think about STEM, we think about strategies that engage minds, not just science, technology, engineering and math. We know we need people who can communicate well, use numbers and data, use systems and technology. We also need people who can problem solve and process information. I use the quote: "Know what to do when they're not sure what to do." STEM provides an opportunity to make sure young people learn to use information and research, to think about problems and have the skill sets necessary to carry out the action. It allows young...