Putting America Back To Work
Two recent studies by The Council on Competitiveness asked business leaders, university presidents and national lab directors to identify the most important factors affecting U.S. competitiveness. Both studies revealed the same strongly held belief; namely, that a highly skilled workforce is the critical ingredient.
Yet, the Massachusetts economy reflects a growing divide between opportunity and resources. For instance, the high-tech and life science industries have large numbers of job openings, but there’s a dearth of applicants with the necessary skills and interests. How do we remedy this imbalance?
First, we must realize that all students need and deserve a solid education, which means proper preparation in both STEM disciplines and English language skills, regardless of career aspirations. The old paradigm of guiding only some of our public school students onto a college prep track is outdated and wrong, as the high achievement of students at Worcester Technical High School has shown, and as the increasing success rates of students in the enriched Advanced Placement programs now operating in the city’s four public high schools have confirmed. The world of work, whether as a technician, a lab scientist, inventor, or teacher, now requires everyone to have a solid grounding in math, science and English language skills.
Second, we must be more thoughtful about the skills being developed in our secondary schools and colleges. For example, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center recently completed a project involving both life science companies and public two-year colleges to better align life sciences curricula with the skill sets required for the industry. This project showed that graduates of our community colleges make excellent employees for the life sciences industry, especially if they have taken the most relevant courses. One doesn’t need a Ph.D in biology to be highly successful in the life sciences.
Third, we must develop professional internships that allow high school and college students to gain insights and practical experience in these growth industries. Internships provide students with more realistic expectations and better preparation for available jobs, while companies can encourage interest in their industries and get a leg up on hiring excellent talent. The Massachusetts Life Science Center has coordinated an internship program with these goals in mind and has achieved impressive results.
Finally, higher education must produce better-prepared teachers by:
• Providing more rigorous preparation in mathematics, science and English language skills;
• Raising admissions standards for our teacher-preparation programs;
• Focusing teachers more on the mastery of subject matter and less on pedagogy; and
• Providing more content-rich professional development programs for teachers.
It’s unrealistic to expect our teachers to convey the fun and power of math and science if they themselves are not well informed, confident and passionate about these subjects.
Dennis Berkey, president and CEO of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, is a member of Washington, D.C.-based Council on Competitiveness.
WBJ Web Partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments