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However, in industry we are seeing a resurgence of manufacturing returning to the US and that will require certain engineering disciplines and STEM savvy workers who understand modern QC/QA techniques or we will not be able to grow manufacturing in this country because of a lack of key STEM-skilled workers.

Can you be a little more specific as to what "key" engineering disciplines are in short supply? And what kind of numbers are you talking about in terms of needs?

I suppose the original point/question of my first post was: Ok, there is an oversupply of STEM workers but given the state of the job market how does the STEM worker fare in comparison to the non-STEM worker? The premise of the article was that it is a waste of time to obtain a STEM degree. But if you are going to be unemployed no matter what, which degree would you rather have (none, of course being an option)?

http://www.itif.org/publications/real-story-guestworkers-high-skill-us-labor-market

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-rosen/the-truth-hurts-the-stem-_b_3900575.html

I don't claim to be an expert on all STEM, but I am the chair of the Advisory Committee to a major State University Mechanical Engineering Department. As I said in my post, the graduates of the programs (I also am contacted regularly by 3 other Mech Eng departments at other universities) in mechanical engineering programs I know of are not having any problem in finding jobs.

I can't speak to civil engineers, electrical engineers, most sciences, or many other STEM disciplines. I have been an elected official in a major (founding 4) engineering society, am still semi-active and can say that from what I know nationally, there is a “strong” demand for mechanical engineers. Again, my understanding is that not all STEM degrees are in equal demand and not all Engineering degrees are in equal demand.

There is a resurgence of manufacturing that is coming back to the US. It is a trend not a stampede. That trend in greater manufacturing will be good for mechanical engineers.

The table you posted does not break things gown by detailed discipline. Not all Engineering degrees/jobs are interchangeable, nor are Science degrees/jobs. I fully believe that there may be engineering degrees that are in oversupply and that there are lots of science degrees that are in oversupply. However, I can attest to certain engineering degrees particularly mechanical and industrial engineering not being in an oversupply situation.