Two industry experts say we must reconsider how we prepare future generations for their careers. 

In January, leaders in science, technology, education and math (STEM) gathered in our nation’s capital for the Diplomatic Courier’s “The World in 2050,” a global summit addressing the future of jobs in these fields. Teach For America was among those leaders and, along with Diplomatic Courier, we considered our global STEM future.  We confronted a difficult reality: Not all nations are equally preparing their youth with the skills they’ll need to compete in the 21st century. This poses a risk to our future—some economies will flourish while others flounder. Young Americans will be competing for fulfilling, stable jobs in STEM fields against a cadre of youth in China and India who may be better prepared to fill them. Globally, we must reconsider how we prepare future generations for their careers. To read further, please visit http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/02/13/op-ed-a-strong-education-for-a-strong-economy.