Daily Lumina News 050622

Careers in STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and math—are witnessing an explosion of growth. Despite the demand, people of color are vastly underrepresented in STEM-related occupations.
Maria Fernanda Trochimezuk wants to level the playing field with IOScholarships, a platform that connects underrepresented students to STEM scholarships.

Low-income students, students of color, and those who are the first in their families to go to college often have a tougher time finding a first job out of college and earn less than their more privileged peers.
The reasons are complex: Underrepresented and first-generation students may have few role models to follow. Unpaid internships are unaffordable for those on financial aid. Experts agree that both colleges and employers need to do more to help all students successfully make the transition from college to career.

During the past two years, child-care disruptions related to the pandemic have been a key factor keeping parents—especially mothers—out of the workforce. As parents consider going back to work, many are finding the cost of care insurmountable.
More employers are taking note, as companies from car manufacturers to theme parks step up efforts to provide child-care assistance to hourly and essential workers.

Confronted with historic enrollment declines, many college and university leaders are fighting hard to keep students. That's where Coursera—the online learning platform and edtech “unicorn” that went public last year—fits in.
Coursera's new Career Academy, which connects people to in-demand digital jobs and skills, is being touted as a possible lifeline for universities trying to attract and retain students in an increasingly competitive market.