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Randstad global worker survey: STEM, sourcing and digitalization

December 18, 2015

Employers still want workers with skills in STEM (science, technology, engineer and math), according to Randstad’s fourth-quarter Workmonitor survey of workers around the globe. The survey also found finding the right talent remains a challenge for employers, and less than a third of workers feel their jobs will be digitized in the near future.

The survey found 42% of workers around the globe say their employers have an increasing need for STEM skills, and it went up to 49% when looking at only US workers. In addition, 71% of workers around the world say more students should focus on a career in STEM, and 63% of respondents would focus on a field of STEM study if they were 18 again — and 84% would focus on a study field within digital/online.

With regard to digitalization of their jobs, 78% said they feel equipped to deal with this trend. In Mexico, 96% of workers were confident, but only 42% of workers in Japan are. Only 31% of the world’s workers expect their jobs will be automated within the next five to 10 years.

Workers also said their employers’ ability to find the right talent remains an issue: 57% of workers said their employers have trouble finding the right talent and expect it to become more difficult. It was 55% among just US workers.

In terms of the economic situation of their countries, 58% percent of respondents from around the world said they believe it will improve in 2016. It was 81% for just US workers.

The Workmonitor report also found the number of workers around the world who changed jobs in the last six months fell to 22% compared to 24% when asked in the third-quarter Workmonitor report.

Randstad’s Workmonitor report is based on an online study among employees aged 18 to 65 working a minimum of 24 hours per week in a paid job (not self-employed). Minimum sample size was 400 interviews per country. The fourth-quarter 2015 survey took place between Oct. 21 and Nov. 4.