This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert January 27, 2010 STEM Grads and Competitiveness A few years ago, we heard Dean Kamen, brilliant inventor of the Segway transportation system, speak during his FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology) Championships. Kamen founded FIRST, an international robotics competition, to encourage young people to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects in school. He lamented the fact that our youth seemed to revere the accomplishments of sports celebrities and rock stars, while our scientific geniuses went virtually unrecognized. More recently, United States President Barack Obama at his Whitehouse summit for youth echoed Kamen's words, himself promoting the study of the STEM topics as a matter of competitiveness. Most recently, DARPA, the US Department of Defense's research agency, issued a report reinforcing what we have been saying for years---a "significant national decline" in the number of US college graduates with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees is "harming our national security". (For years, we have sounded this alarm: see HermanTrendAlert.com/archive.) DARPA blames public perception and a heightened awareness of international outsourcing trends. . . leading people to believe that there are fewer jobs in these fields. Yet, according to the US Department of Labor in November 2007, "Computer Software Engineers, Applications" was the fourth fastest growing occupation. In the period between 2006 and 2007, we had 43 percent fewer graduates in than in 2003-2004, according to the Computer Research Association. Additionally, these degrees are especially declining for women and minorities. According to the DARPA report, this issue is of "national importance" and "affects our capacity to maintain a technological lead in critical skills and disciplines" on the international stage---"a national security risk waiting to happen". The increasing complexity of systems means we will require more people with higher levels of talent to manage and maintain them. Employers find recruiting the right people with these specialized talents is becoming more difficult. As this trend evolves, the US Department of Defense will be directly affected. To respond to this crisis, DARPA wants proposals for initiatives that would attract teens to STEM careers. We believe a massive public relations campaign is in order. The US is not alone. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. 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