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I am in STEM and I honestly think there's a shortage of smart STEM workers, because not every person trained or experienced in STEM is someone I would hire.

Ask around, you'll find quite a few people like me.

That's like saying there's a shortage of good STEM jobs because I wouldn't take any STEM job out there.

They're not mutually exclusive; I'm starting to think that the market for coders is basically a market for lemons.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Market_for_Lemons

So we end up with employers who don't want to pay top dollar in case they get a lemon, and competent developers who are either happy where they are or unwilling to work for lemon rates.

And have you interviewed candidates for development positions recently? It is depressing, and I say that as someone who catches flak about being too generous and letting too many "poor-quality" candidates through screens.

No, it’s an actual conspiracy by big companies to drive down wages.

“We advertised this job for well below the going rate and didn’t get any applications, better outsource it!”

There is not a shortage of "STEM" workers- but there are a number of more specific industries that have a shortage of workers, and these industries fall under "STEM".