On one occasion, we were taken to a "high school expo" where different institutions—both public and private—offered enrollment to hundreds of applicants from all the middle schools the venue could accommodate. Even though most of us already knew where we were going, we still went around all the stands to see what goodies we could grab (of course).
I'm not proud of it, but I remember us laughing at the thought of wearing uniforms in high school—because in my day that wasn't common, except for technical institutions and some other private schools—or graduating a year later than everyone else (where I live it's common to complete high school in just two years).
Needless to say, despite meeting wonderful people and gaining significant opportunities thanks to the academic decisions I made at the time, not a single year has passed—two months shy of turning 31—where I haven't thought about everything I could have done and learned if I had only enrolled in a technical high school instead of following the general consensus (prejudice). And I promise I'm not exaggerating just to make this sound spicy or emotional; this is all true.
A few hours ago, the Observer reported on an initiative taken by National Grid (one of the largest players in the energy industry in the United States, with over two million customers): investing in the education of future generations in various areas of the manufacturing industry. This is something they have been doing for several years now, and they are now focusing their efforts with Dream It Do It (an organization that fosters collaboration between young people and industry experts through a wide variety of programs). And from a certain perspective, I don’t understand why this isn’t being done massively in every possible place.
A few days ago, I also learned in class that one of the most important metallurgical companies in México developed its own talent pool starting from high school in a municipality outside the metropolitan area; they focus on providing them with the best available education, securing scholarships at prestigious universities in the region, and eventually granting them a position in the company as soon as they finish their studies.
Beyond the fact that I myself study and work in the world of science and industry, I can honestly say that few things are as satisfying as grasping the complexity—so characteristic of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers—and breaking it down into all its components to see every last underlying detail. And thinking about all the time, potential and capability that is wasted, that has no outlet in young people, is overwhelming; especially when seeing the endless lines at admission exams of basically kids who are thrown into the arena to choose the direction they will take at the tender age of 14 or 15.
The industry has tons of development to offer to the youth sector—almost as much as they could contribute to the industry, especially once they finish their mid-level education. I have never found sense in waiting until college to explore firsthand what the world needs from you, nor in relying on vocational orientation exams when there is little to no contact between young people and the vast majority of the labor and academic fields out there.
It’s to be expected that the US will amplify this wave of investments in early education that is starting to become a trend. America is vastly rich in human resources with a unique geography that offers endless possibilities everywhere you look, and the only logical outcome should be to leave a fertile ground for all the upcoming innovations dawning upon our youth and their future.
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