How can we do more to encourage young people to pursue careers in science and technology?
Answers (29)
As a father, I can tell you this: the obvious applies (it's a "cool" factor thing). Also . . . and I hate this . . . it's a money thing; thank goodness they see that part.
But more than anything, it's a "education begets education" thing. One of my sons thinks he's a good technologist, and others looking at him think so as well; he's the "go to guy" in his mother's house. And . . . well, it just isn't there.
My opinion (and he's a really bright guy) is that the thing that's always been most attractive about technology to less-developed minds--instant gratification--has become so common in so many aspects of young people's lives that they just don't see/feel it here any more.
Remember the "WOW" you felt the first time you used Visual Basic? Kids thrive on that, and we need to get them that feeling AND show them what they can do with it. THAT will bring them in by the thousands.
As an online initiative website like msn should a directory where basic fundamental books of every Science Topic should be available to read and download at Zero cost.
Better teacher at school. Slow down fees at University in science&tech. Much more opportunity of career and professional growth. But over all: education about care.
Australia is confronting this challenge. We are working within highschools using youth-to-youth discussions with dynamic and charismatic young people to talk about the opportunities (rather than leaving it in the hands of school career counsellors, or merely putting a dvd or brochure in the mail to schools. It also helps shift the image of "geek" normally attached to these roles.
Teachers - in particular those responsible for technology instruction - are an important link also. Many don't understand how to use technology themselves and their abilities are outstripped by the students. So they need to be inspired to upgrade their skills.
Saving the planet ... green technology etc is proving to be an attractive topic for those under 30, but whether that translates into real take up on a careers level is yet to be seen.
Young people (we call them Generation Y) are looking for jobs that give them: intrapeneur status (being an entrepeneur within an organisation), travel opportunities (so companies that offer this have the best chance of attracting and keeping young talent), flat structures (not traditional top down management) and a chance to engage in genuine social causes (what's your carbon footpriint comes up in interviews all the time).
Peter Sheahan - who uncovered the Gen Y revolution in the workforce is a pioneer in this space and working around the globe on programs to engage Gen Y in the next generation of job opportunities. (www.PeterSheahan.com)
Links:
Cezar MAROTI C
Changing my LinkedIn account at http://www.linkedin.com/in/cezarmaroti
This is a great question!
One option would be to show them the benefits technology brings in improving people's life.
This was my personal reason to start learning more about IT and to work in this industry.
I started working in a company that developed an ERP solution for companies in Central and Eastern Europe. I had the chance to learn more about how much companies could improve their activity by using this technology. That was the turning point in my career. I decided then that I want to contribute to the development of this industry. And ever since then I am working in the IT world.
Cezar
From an Indian perspective, any small benefit derived that is seen by young people makes them closer to technology and science. Real life applications of science and tech that improves the quality of life.
Various examples like
1. A farmer getting to know the crop rates on a mobile phone
2. Being able to talk "low cost" on GTalk/Skype
3. Weather warnings delivered on Mobile or Web
4. Solar Electricity running gadgets
5. Finding answers on Internet
etc. and the list goes on
Basically things that work on low maintenance seem magical.
Clarification added February 28, 2008:
Amazing Responses
Daniel V
Information Security Manager at TELUS International Philippines
Best Answers in: Information Security (1)
Science and technology is the way to the future, wether we like it or not, the force is there to drive, from east to west, north to south technology become essential to everyday life.
Yes, essential to every life, and we have already laid the foundation for our young people all we need to do is introduce it to them and the significant and value to our civilization. Values, not in monetary terms, but how science and technology balance the advancement but preserving the natural resources.
Yes, we must encourages our children to think not only science and technology but also the impact of this in our eco-system.
Andy B
Entrepreneur, Manager and Consultant
Best Answers in: Air Travel (1), Staffing and Recruiting (1), Futures Markets (1), Computers and Software (1), Software Development (1), Web Development (1)
First of all stop pushing closed source, black box software - like Microsoft Windows and Office - to schools. Being able to see how software works, being able to alter it and see results is priceless in educating young geeks to follow in your & others footsteps.
Second, we have to realize, that science requires hard work and intellectual ability. State, compulsory schooling tends to lower the quality of education, it especially lowers the bar of required performance which leads to having more poorly educated graduates on all levels. This is a broader issue as currently the whole society seems to shift its values from performance and achievement to security and accommodating all. I don't think much can be done here.
Thirdly, as I said, science and technology requires mental, intellectual ability. There is a global increase in demand for smart people in all fields - and there is a global shortage of supply. No incentives will make people smarter - so we have to get better at finding and easing the path for those who are. And probably we have to look globally for them.
Nationally the apathetic young crowd today does not need a new knight in shining armor, rather they need to wake up and realize that they need technology to solve tomorrow's problems, which are real and here to stay.
Globally, though media may highlight the rise of islamo fascism that is indeed a real threat in many poor nations worldwide, better education and better access to resources that tend to spew less dogma will be a good start. If children see that they can have a better life, that others around them are living a normal, hard earned life, they inculcate the desire to study and do good and pay less heed to the quack in the corner spewing hatred.
Technology also has to be less about improving our already wealthy and affluent lifestyles and start moving in the direction of solving real world issues affecting nations where people are still paid wages of under a dollar per day. Till that happens, there will be a huge gap in what technology achieves and its perceived benefits.
Ensure and show that their talents will be used foor the good. Not just for profit.
Bring the Magic back. What we see on TV Cartoons are only genius doing nuclear bombs! We need to change that.
Science is about the curiosity of learn and do good things no other never did.
Ken S
Sales and Marketing Executive
Best Answers in: Lead Generation (2), International Law (1), Advertising (1), Business Development (1), Wealth Management (1), Computers and Software (1), Web Development (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
This is such a HUGE question because it gets at the heart of a major issue in our culture, and there for effects and is affected by so many things.
American culture is being dumbed down. Fault can be hand out everywhere, the media, the school system, parents, government just to name the easy targets. But this dumbing down of culture has serious repercussions and has allowed America to fall behind in many things but especially in intellectual pursuits like math and science.
You've accomplished tremendous things in your life time, but it I were to ask you to do something it would be to start celebrating intellectual achievement. Help fuel the ambitions of children to achieve give them goals and reward them for getting there.
Thanks for asking
Regards
Ken Schneider
Being the father of 5 children, the oldest of which is in college, I believe that this generation is not as interested in the longtime career ideal. As Dave mentioned below, the impact to the environment is of vast importance to them. The key to gaining their interest is to demonstrate the usefullness of science and technology in preserving our planet.
I have been blessed in that the last many years I work virtually. It was technology that has allowed me to do my share in conserving resources and not creating emissions on a daily basis. We must show them how to use technology and science to make life better.
We must also guide them in the use of newer technologies. I remember when MySpace, AIM and texting became Phenomenons among the next generations. There were perils associated with these newer technologies. MySpace was banned in my house because it lacked proper controls to authenticate users and became a hunting ground for sickos. AIM and texting were starting to replace human contact and basic communications. I teach my children that one cannot read your body language or intonations via text.
In the end, we must show them the benefits these types of careers can produce and also make sure they see the whole picture. Wealth always follows when you do what you love. All wealth is not measured in Dollars and Cents.
Companies who would like to young people to their business should understand that the "fun factor" as mentioned before is very important. There is a guy at my school who is involved in promoting a dutch company (Info Support) by all kinds of funny YouTube video's. This kind of marketing appeals to anyone, even the people who aren't in Science or Tech educations since the techniques are made tangible. Great viral marketing!
Links:
Clarification added February 29, 2008:
So many good responses! Bet Bill will be using LinkedIn Q&A again ;)
If man with PhD and working in Science will earn same money than man with MBA, have the same car and filling that Science is as respect as Business. You can’t change these basis principles, so only one thing you can – pay scientists as well as managers.
There are a few answers to this question. The least satisfying is an observation: Career interests have a rhythm, like a sine wave. Every career falls out of favor at some point and return to favor based on a myriad of factors. No problem; just wait.
We can also look at the trajectory of cultures. While some countries are entering into or maturing through their interest in science and technology, ours (the US, which I assume is the focus of your question) *seems to be* moving on. In our thirst for satisfaction and quest for answers, there *seems to be* an acknowledgement that science and technology can't provide either. We seem more interested in using developments from science and technology as a tool.
This leads to my third point. What provides satisfaction, if not science and technology? That's what young people are interested in. That's where they are. They're bouncing off of a very frightening period in human history in which there is too much threat to absorb.
Our young are too saavy these days to see science and technology as we saw it in decades past. It's not a panacea and they know it. I think your question should be, how can science and technology help us know true inner satisfaction? And how can we avoid using it for destructive purposes. Then our young people will find a reason to turn towards science and technology.
I feel that the time is when individuals are very young. That is the right time to help them see how interesting, and powerful science and technology can be.
At a very young age, they would also be more open to learn new things. I feel that as we age, we are far less likely to want to take on new learning for all sorts of reasons.
I recall when I came to the United States as a young child, at age (6). I was told that learning English was very important to my feature. I was literally programmed by teachers to eat, sleep, and think English. In roughly 6 months from arriving I was fluent in English and could carry conversations with others.
People who are somewhat older and are forced to learn the same language as I was appear to have a harder time to learn. I am certain that there are other variables that need to be considered as we formulate a way to bring more professionals into these fields, however, teaching kids at a very your age how to be passionate about any type of learning is key.
catch them early - the phrase never held more meaning than in this phase of information explosion where the mind through 6 external sensory extensions is exposed to so much of varied influences. There are two categories of people - those who like challenges and those who hate challenges
Those who like challenges - tell them how challenging tech is
Those who hate challenges - tell them how easy tech is
Some thoughts:
Positive media images will help. Why are academic underachievers depicted as the “cool kids”?
We have to make post-secondary education more accessible. Kids who don’t think they will ever be able to afford college are not likely to get excited about science and technology in high school.
The pay, benefits and job security equation has to be right. In the past, employers got incredible loyalty from their workers by paying them well and making a commitment to the operation. People had some certainty that the factory, once built, was not going away any time soon. Nowadays, the social contract has been broken. Corporations enjoy huge benefits from operating in the U.S. – from consumers, the financial system, national defense, etc. Buy they think that gives them a zero obligation to contribute to the success of the society as a whole. That should change.
Training and development can be a big incentive. Young people will want to work in industries that they know will challenge them and invest in them over time.
A very tough as well as important question.
I don't believe a TV campain or higher salaries are going to solve the problem. It's a question of values in a society.
Who are the heroes?
As long as it's those who make millions on the stock exchange and pop singers on the one hand and those who publicly campain for saving the planet on the other hand, being an engineer just doesn't sound very cool.
Living half in Germany and half in the UK, I kind of see the development in two different stages. While the motherland of engineering is now all in finance, Germany is (still) too rich to care as much about science as it used to. Manufacturing seems to go the same way it went in the UK, other successful technology firms are few and far between (SAP being one of the shining exceptions - whatever is true about Microsoft wanting to by them or not).
I am in touch with many Generation Y youngsters. They want to go in one of two directions: either a career obviously devoted to a "valuable" task, like cancer research or saving the rain forest - or they are in quick money and glamorous cereer in top management or McKinsey-typoe consultancies.
Most science and engineering falls just between these categories. It's neither acknowledged that science as a whole is the way out of the dilemma (well, science has lost credibility in this respect since Hirishima) nor that it's technological / scientific innovation which creates value at the end of the day and that stock broker just juggle what others created.
Paying decent salaries for engineers (particularly in the UK) ma ybe a start to show that this work is valued, but somehow (I have no clue how) socienty need different values. If "I'm a research scientist in quantum physics" attracts more admirers on a party than "I'm in the music business", then we are there.
If technology companies are cool places to work (I assume Microsoft is, and - sorry - Google and Ideo probably even more), it's one step forward.
Open innovation could help a lot as well. Make scientific innovation a cool event on the web. An internet party where ideas are exchanged rather than (stolen) pieces of music - to build the next generation solar-driven car.
Mr. Balmer knows how to make a show of anything. Peopel like him can let young scientists look as cool as pop stars.
Just to kick a few ideas around...
Maybe, the way we are going is just the way history has got to be - it has been so since soemone bothered to write it down. When wealth is abundant, creating it is not cool any more. Yound people in India seem to be very keen to go into science and technology. Maybe they just have to take over from us?
thanks for starting this thread
Kevin W
Independent Thinker / Advisor - Try to make things happen <> Also, Your Business Partner in China
Best Answers in: Government Policy (2), Business Development (2), Financial Regulation (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Packaging and Labeling (1), Supply Chain Management (1), Ethics (1), E-Commerce (1), Using LinkedIn (1)
As a young man, I understand that it's very hard to convince a young people to pursue carees in science and technology through simple words. I think two things may work in this matter:
A. One is money. According to my knowledge, too many people are money-respecter, there are too many people dreaming that one day they can be the "second Bill Gates" as well as the richest man through technology over the world;
B. I think once the science and technology experts are going to share more experience with young people, then younsters may have a better understanding about the glamor of science and technology;
C. High-Tech company can use advertisement and its High-Tech products to influence people. (MS and Apple's products have driven many young people to pursue careers in science and technology already.)
Anyway, though I studied business courses and work in this area, frankly speaking, I was dreaming of pursuing careers in science and technology when I studied in my high school.
There will be too many answers to this Hot Question... Oh.... Bill Gates is crazy, or others do....
Regards,
Kevin
A Chinese young man
Stephen L
Enterprise / SOA Architect - Semantic Solutions Integrator
Best Answers in: Enterprise Software (4), Web Development (4), Project Management (1), Computers and Software (1), Computer Networking (1), Databases (1), Information Storage (1)
This is an issue that has come up recently in our region (Ohio) and a number of initiatives have arisen in response - the state just approved a new STEM high school (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics) school at a local university (Wright State).
However, I've been discussing this with the folks pushing those initiatives and I believe that while the intentions are good the implementations are not living up to their potential. Most STEM programs are viewing science & technology curriculum the same way it was viewed back in the 1960's. Those approaches are more or less cookie cutter frameworks that are designed for mass production of certain nominal capabilities - what we need to teach is the art of thinking, and the way we need to reach young people is through motivation.
The best way to achieve both of these goals is through the use of problem/contextual based curriculum and (virtual) dialectic - together these represent dynamic ways to both learn and assimilate knowledge and do it using technology and concepts that today's young people already know and enjoy...
Links:
Giorgio O
MBCS, ICT Business/Systems Analyst, LION, toplinked.com
Best Answers in: Computers and Software (2)
Ensure that more quality programs, regarding science, its usefulness and profiled scientists are on prime-time and children-time TV spaces.
Promote grants for science related projects for school-children anywhere in the world.
Promote mobile laboratories in schools, volunteer teaching organizations developing and third world countries.
Ensure the One Hundred Dollar PC is really sold for 100 dollars and is really going to the countries that need them.
Pauline R
MD of virtual-e, Gold Second Life Solution Provider. Bringing virtual world benefits through real world solutions
Best Answers in: Professional Networking (1)
Great question! I work in education advising academic staff on the use of ICT in teaching. One thing that I'm noticing is that in order to enthuse the students with what you can do with technology you have to have enthusiastic staff. In many cases the staff are not that keen to learn new ways of teaching because they are happy doing things the way they have always been done. If students see their teachers are enthusiastic then I think that is contagious.
There are so many exciting technologies at the moment - from social networking through to virtual worlds - and so many opportunities to look at different ways of teaching and learning. I think maybe we need to encourage our teaching staff to 'feel the fear and do it anyway' and also to encourage them to learn from their students. By making it a joint exploration we can build confidence for all and enthusiasm for learning and working in these exciting areas.
Dramatically improve the quality of teachers in schools at all levels (mainly valid for Italy).
This means - among others - more money for good teachers, more incentives for talented students, more visible career opportunities for everybody.
Costin-Sorin I
QA Senior Coordinator at Aluminum Foundry
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (6), Education and Schools (1), Government Policy (1), Compensation and Benefits (1), Personnel Policies (1), Internationalization and Localization (1), Viral Marketing (1), Quality Management and Standards (1), Professional Networking (1), Biotech (1), Enterprise Software (1), Computers and Software (1), Computer Networking (1), Information Storage (1)
The one thing most young ppl are missing today is curiosity. They divert their energy in futile things:
1.Playing videogames in the safety of their home - cause going outside is too much energy consuming. Better to beat that tennis game on Wii or that alien scumbag on Halo 35.
2.Txt msging with friends - again meeting them is exhausting.
3.Researching the answer to their smallest problems on Internet. If it's on Internet it must be true.
...and so on and so forth.
We forgot how to instill curiosity in our children. How this thing is made? Why the ball is rolling down the hill and not up? Is there a easy way to make it go up? Even in science and technology you meet ppl that are truly experts in their (narrow) field but they are unable to step 0.0001'' out of that field because they are lost.
What we need now (IMHO) is another Renaissance. Another way to view things, to make them interesting for our children that are afraid to eat (cause they don't want to be fat), afraid to go outside cause there is to much violence (and the videogame or the lates movie is way more appealing and safe), afraid to commit in life cause bearing such responsability it's not my thing.
We need to make our kids believe in them and in their power to change things by understanding how things work and make them go to the root cause of how every thing that is in our life just waits for them to be discovered.
Basically every child is open to do new things & experiments but as they grow old the facts & figures taught to them in various science curriculam conditioned their mind to think on set pattern what I like to see is to form a new set of educational system & introduce it in countries like India, China, Brazil etc where young mind is taught from begining to think on their own rather than condition their thinking based on previous establish facts & figures.
in short - Educational system right from junior classes needs major revamp in term of innovation & creative thinking.
Regards
Gaurav Shukla
My sense is ,we have to inspire them that the nett Impact they will make on Society & the way they will be recognized by the peers/future batches is the only trigger.
We also need to engage on the softer side & establish the perspective they want to establish.Human offspring are superior generally hence we need to carefully evangelize, not the usual engineer/doctor syndrome but
recognition & credible Impact to the Humankind.
We need to be realistic about our expectations & here lies the challenge with both constraints & variables.
Best
AZ
Jason G
Alky/Sulfur Team Leader at ConocoPhillips Company
Best Answers in: Education and Schools (1), Currency Markets (1), Option Markets (1), Career Management (1), Small Business (1)
Getting more young people to pursue careers in science and technology is easy. We have to pass along our passion for science and technology to young people. As seen on this answer list, many are focused on how much money they make. Money doesn't inspire. Money helps us meet our basic needs. We need to encourage our children to pursue their passions. The money will come through their hard work in their field of passion. Be a leader to a young person and show them the joy of discovering something new.
Sincerely,
Jason
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 next »
