Food for Thought

Commentary

Attorney Chuck McPhillips’ column in the Nov. 20, 2012, edition of The Virginian-Pilot, which promoted a school – financed by the state – to train and graduate high school students in science, technology, engineering and math, illustrates the adage of putting the cart before the horse.

Even The Virginian-Pilot endorsed the concept in its Nov. 25 edition, lending credence to McPhillips’ argument that a school is necessary for the region’s economy to grow.

Before we jump in the water and contract economic and political hypothermia, I suggest we take a cue from the Peninsula Council on Workforce Development which partnered with Thomas Nelson Community College, funded by a grant from Virginia Community Colleges and the Ford Foundation, to find out what kind of workers manufacturing companies on the Peninsula are seeking over the next five years.

Fourteen manufacturing companies, representing nearly 90 percent of the manufacturing in the region, participated in the study.

In surveys, the companies identified 11,150 openings in 11 occupations over the next five years during 2011, with wages ranging from $10 to $27 an hour.

 Did the companies want engineers, scientists, techies and mathematicians? Not exactly.

These are the top jobs in demand by the companies that were interviewed: pipefitters, 1,850; welders, 1,700; electricians; 1,700; and machinists, 1,200.  

So where did the professional class place? Engineers, 200. Production and account managers, 150.

The study can be found at http://www.virginiapeninsulacareerpathways.com/PCFWD_Brochure-final.pdf

While McPhillips cites mind-numbing statistics showing how America lags behind the rest of the world in students who graduate with the above education, this isn’t the first time I have heard this complaint.

It has echoed among businesses and community leaders and politicians for the past 20 years and we are no further ahead than we were two decades ago.

Yet in this 20 years, we have seen the rise of Microsoft, Apple, Netscape, Yahoo, AOL and other companies founded by entrepreneurs, some of whom never finished college, and which have flourished.

Sure, education is important. But it takes more than an education to transform an idea into concrete products.  

It takes guts, the courage to take a risk and the mojo to keep pushing ahead, to keep trying, new things and refining old things, despite setbacks.

In my own experience, I know very few engineers, scientists and mathematicians who take such risks. Though the techies have great ideas, many are impeded by thinking their idea will materialize into the next Google.

A great idea never executed is worthless; a mediocre and average idea executed will be successful.

McPhillips’ campaign neglects to answer some very simple questions: where are the jobs for these graduates in Hampton Roads? Where’s the venture capital for them? Where are the mentors and counselors?

I am all for teaching science, technology, engineering and math (known as STEM, an acronym which conjures impolitic images) to the future scions of America.

If we do graduate these maestros of math, technology, engineering and science, will they attend our local universities?

Or will they depart for universities in other parts of the states or other states where they would have a better chance of getting a job or research money or start-up funds?

Let’s begin the dialogue first before we start begging for more money.

Besides, if the private sector is wringing its hands over our lack of the above graduates, maybe they should put up some money.

I think the private sector should have a little skin in the game, as well, and it shows commitment on their part.  

Granted, McPhillips’ suggestion has merit.

But let’s start with identifying what jobs are in demand in our region first and then work our way towards a new school and money to support it, if it’s justified.