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Rodney C. Adkins
The United States risks becoming a nation of consumers, not creators
Innovation has always been a mainstay of successful enterprises. Think about how innovations like the steam engine, the transistor, and the Internet-built business created industries and powered economic growth. The same can be said for individuals. Those who create the next great innovations -- and not just consume them -- will be the biggest winners in tomorrow's economy.
That is why it is increasingly important for students to study science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). History has shown that those who have strong math and science skills will be the innovators of tomorrow. And the United States needs these creators to grow our economy and generate new
jobs. According to the
Yet there are some alarming trends that indicate we are at risk of becoming a country of consumers, not creators. According to the
A look at the latest U.S. census data is also a cause for concern. America's shifting demographics make it especially important that we encourage minority students to pursue science and engineering education. Today, 43 percent of school-age children are of African-American, Latino, or Native American descent. Yet of more than 70,000 U.S. engineering bachelor's degrees in 2009, less than 13 percent were awarded to under-represented minorities, according to the
Just as successful companies invest in research and development to produce future innovations, so too must all levels of government invest in STEM education to produce future innovators. But to fully develop a new generation of innovators, the United States also needs greater public-private partnerships that encourage more students to study STEM.
The Obama administration started its "Educate to Innovate" campaign with that goal in mind. The national program aims to improve the participation and performance of America's students in science, technology, engineering, and math through combined efforts from the federal government and leading companies, foundations, and nonprofits.
The private sector can also make a difference at the local level.
Another simple yet successful private-sector approach lies in "transition to teaching" programs. Such programs help fill the demand for new math and science teachers by streamlining the teacher certification process and making second careers in education more attractive to employees who are near retirement.
Finally, private companies can help shape curricula to reflect industry trends and the needs of modern employers. Take service industries, which now account for approximately 75 percent of all jobs in the United States and virtually all projected employment growth, according to the
Here's a telling statistic about the failure to innovate: Of the top 25 industrial corporations in the United States in 1900, only two remained on that list at the start of the 1960s. And of the top 25 companies in 1960, only six remain there today. This week marks
Rodney C. Adkins is senior vice president of
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To Keep America Great Students Must Be Taught to Innovate