Technology has become more commonplace in everyday aspects of most people’s lives than ever before. Whether you are working for a company that has implemented it to streamline productivity, or you use it to organize your personal life, technology is now a part of the mainstream. Government officials are concerned that educational programs are not as well developed as they should be. With jobs in information technology increasing with great frequency, institutions are taking a hard look at the programs they have in place.
The demand for computer and information systems managers is expected to increase by 16 percent over the next seven years, which is faster than the average growth in all industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unfortunately, American students have scored poorly in the science and math categories of standardized tests in comparison to their Asian and European counterparts, the New York Times reports.
As a result, President Obama has launched the Educate to Innovate program to foster greater participation and understanding in courses that could help students prepare for careers in the science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields. Several companies and organizations – including the MacArthur Foundation and Time Warner Cable – have announced plans for programs that are intended to rouse interest in science-related topics.
Sally Ride, who was contacted by the Obama Administration to lend her support to this cause, told the newspaper “there is a lot of corporate interest and foundation interest in this issue.” Such a declaration is not surprising, as many technology-based companies will come to rely on employees who have been educated on the latest trends and discoveries in the scientific world.
Plans are already in progress to ramp up efforts to bring more interest to science and finance related career studies. Several companies and organizations are increasing their content to draw students to obtain their degrees in these in demand fields.
The future of information technology and engineering is in the hands of these organizations. By contributing to the future of these programs and their development, new employees will receive a specialized education. Focusing on the ever evolving world of information technology, educational institutions are are creating the best degree programs possible to educate students on the most cutting edge and up-to-date techniques available.
Hilary Pennington, the foundation’s director of education, postsecondary success and special initiatives, told the media outlet the grants aim to promote technology and its ability to “connect people, foster collaboration, empower learners and teachers, and challenge the status quo.”
As efforts to improve technology education expand, students and working adults may consider enrolling in an online college and college grants that can help them launch careers in fast-growing industries. Beginning a career in a competitive job market can be made much easier when a student has had an education through online schools, transitioning them to the job market with ease.