The ability to pay higher education costs is frequently a limiting factor for the targeted populations. The burden imposed by student loans is often overwhelming. Even the costs of application fees and registration fees can be prohibitive. There are several strategies that, when implemented on state and national levels, can increase access and enrollment in SET among this population. The first is increased availability of scholarships, especially for students with the greatest financial need.
Industry is the primary funding support of internship programs, which restricts opportunities.
With state and federal government programs, the opportunities for internships in SET fields could be significantly increased. Most have been productive employees whose jobs are being downsized, vanishing, or automated. This population generally has much of the knowledge necessary to continue contributing to the workplace, but their SET skills must be significantly enhanced to have productive employment opportunities and meet emerging industry needs.