This research examines the distribution of STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—and soft-skill competencies in occupations within regional economies in the United States. This research explores the public policy question: Do occupational competencies offer a better measure of regional human capital than the commonly used metric of educational attainment? Policy makers at all levels of government have increasingly emphasized STEM education as vital to economic well-being. This research finds support for the importance of STEM occupational competencies to regional median wage and productivity, but findings also indicate the important contributions of “soft skills” to regional economic well-being. This suggests new avenues for region-focused training and human capital development aligned to occupational skill demands that reward workers and benefit regions.

这项研究研究了STEM的分布（科学，技术，工程和数学）以及美国区域经济体内职业的软技能能力。这项研究探讨了公共政策问题：职业能力是否比一般的受教育程度提供了更好的地区人力资本衡量标准？各级政府的决策者越来越强调STEM教育对经济福祉至关重要。这项研究发现支持STEM职业能力对区域中位数工资和生产率的重要性，但研究结果也表明“软技能”对区域经济福祉的重要贡献。