South Florida Sun-Sentinel (FL) (01/17/09) Qualman, Rick R.
Math and science must become more popular with young children if they are to take advantage of the employment opportunities as the world becomes smarter, writes Rick R. Qualman, IBM’s senior state executive for Florida. The retirement of Baby Boomers already means that between 250,000 and 500,000 IT jobs could go unfilled over the next five years. Also, fewer students are enrolling in computer science programs, and test scores in math and science at the middle school level are below the national average. Florida schools will not be able to solve the problem on their own, considering the state’s budget woes. “We, as parents, business professionals, and community leaders must also take action, encouraging young people to excel in math and science and supporting those who have expressed an interest in such careers with mentors and resources to help them stay on course and succeed,” Qualman says. He says that starting Transition to Teaching programs would be a way for companies to prepare employees to become math or science teachers when they retire. “Our children can succeed in tomorrow’s smart world–if they are prepared,” Qualman says.
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Tags: Computer Science and Engineering News, Computer Science news
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