Where Will Generation Innovation Come From?

Mark Drapeau (Washington, DC) —

Politicians talk a lot about how America needs more innovators and inventors. Everyone from prominent CEOs to the President is demanding a next generation of young leaders in science, math, engineering, and technology. Where will they come from, though?

GOOD and Common Five have a terrific infographic constructed from recent data from a survey about exactly this. It’s worth a look to understand where the next group of inventors may come from, and conversely why many young people aren’t looking at this as a possible future career path.

While 30% of young people surveyed said that they find STEM topics “too challenging,” more disturbing for the U.S. educational system is that 45% of (presumably interested) students reported that “invention is not given enough attention in school.” And only 22% of the 16-25 year olds surveyed say that they would be motivated by “jobs that would give them a chance to change the world.”

The full “Desperately Seeking Inventors” infographic is available here.

Dr. Mark Drapeau is part of the Microsoft Office of Civic Innovation in Washington, DC.