Data, examined from more than 500,000 aptitude assessments, highlights a lack of exposure to key career fields

AMERICAN FORK, Utah, Jan. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, The 2024 State of the Future U.S. Workforce Report was released, revealing that students have the aptitudes (or natural talents) for the nation’s most in-demand career fields –including Healthcare, Manufacturing, Technology, and Finance– but they are not inclined to pursue those occupations due to a profound lack of exposure.

This report was released by YouScience^® – the leading technology provider dedicated to solving the skills gap crisis for students and employers– and analyzed anonymized data from more than 540,000 YouScience^® Aptitude & Career Discovery assessments completed by U.S. middle and high school students across all 50 states in 2023.

In the assessments, students completed a series of science-backed brain games to discover their aptitudes, interests, and matching best-fit careers. The analysis found that:

• 39% of students have an aptitude for careers in Health Science
  • A field where employment for jobs such as health information technologists and medical registrars is projected to grow 16% in the next decade
• 32% of students have an aptitude for careers in Computers & Technology
  • A field where employment for jobs such as computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 23% in the next decade
• 30% of students have an aptitude for careers in Agriculture & Natural Resources
  • A field where employment for jobs such as agricultural and food science technician is projected to grow 5% in the next decade.
• 29% of students have an aptitude for careers in Advanced Manufacturing
  • A field where employment for jobs such as industrial engineers is projected to grow 12% in the next decade

While students possess the aptitudes for occupations in these key areas, the findings highlight a significant exposure gap that is preventing these students from pursuing education pathways toward those career fields:  

• 75% more students have an aptitude for careers in Computers & Technology than interest
• 66% more students have an aptitude for careers in Advanced Manufacturing than interest
• 48% more students have an aptitude for careers in Agriculture & Natural Resources than interest
• 43% more students have an aptitude for careers in Health Science than interest

“Our report highlights a crucial issue in education today: the exposure gap. Students have untapped potential for in-demand occupations but lack a clear understanding of their skills and how they align with careers. Failing to address this deprives students of valuable insights into their aptitudes and their connection to the evolving world,” said Edson Barton, Founder and CEO of YouScience. “In an era of rapid economic and technological changes, it’s essential for students to grasp their full range of abilities. This understanding empowers them to confidently prepare for the future and pursue specific career pathways. It also enables our society to make education and career opportunities more equitable for all students.”

The findings of The 2024 State of the Future U.S. Workforce Report also prove that students –regardless of gender and race– have the necessary aptitudes to fill the skills gap plaguing many industries today and well into the future. Key takeaways include:

• 87% more female students have an aptitude for careers in Computers & Technology than interest
• 73% more Black students have an aptitude for careers in Advanced Manufacturing than interest
• 69% more Hispanic students have an aptitude for careers in Computers & Technology than interest
• 54% more male students have an aptitude for careers in Health Science

To access the complete findings and report, and see a list of recommendations on how to address the career exposure gap, click here.

About YouScience^® 
YouScience^® is the leading technology provider dedicated to solving the skills gap crisis for students and employers. Its end-to-end platform, YouScience^® Brightpath, connects education with career applications designed to help students unlock their potential for future pathways. YouScience leverages proven research, artificial intelligence, and industry input to help individuals identify their natural talents, validate their skills and knowledge, and get matched with real-world educational and career pathways in high-demand occupations. YouScience is the preferred choice of individuals, parents, educators, and counselors to guide and support educational and career pathways, currently serving more than 7,000 educational institutions and nearly one million users.

SOURCE YouScience