Corporate support for high school curriculums
March 6, 2008
Through free lesson plans and glossy handouts, Deloitte LLP urges classrooms full of high school students to “consider a career you may never have imagined: working as a professional auditor.”
They’re right about the imagination part.
A story in today’s Wall Street Journal highlights how Deloitte, Lockheed Martin and other corporations are lending a helping hand to high schools, providing materials, computers and training for teachers - and “hoping to create a pipeline of workers far into the future.”
At first glance, it seems like a win-win; companies are fearful of a future labor shortage, and state education funding isn’t cutting it.
But critics say the line between academics and commercialism is being crossed.
What do you think?
JACKIE SAUTER, Web Editor
Sphere: Related ContentComments
3 Responses to “Corporate support for high school curriculums”
Got something to say?
-
Business
Business postsLaw
Law posts- Garrett closer to getting a judge
- Can’t do the canned food drive
- Is Harrell the new Cathell?
- Uphill climb for gas-leak plaintiffs
- This week in Maryland Lawyer
- ‘Generally happy’ with billable training
- Law blog round-up
- Possible Enzyte trouble for Venable?
- Eiswert, Sherbin seek Garrett bench seat
- Blogger arrested for leaking songs
Recent Posts
- Law blog round-up
- Bowie Baysox made the playoffs - if anyone noticed
- Garrett closer to getting a judge
- Wound up about design
Recent Comments
- Russell D. McGeorge: Don’t they still feel pressured to meet what they know to be the recent standard? If I...
- BeagleMom: I truly think it depends on each individuals situation and financial stability. With the economy...
- Kathleen Cook: Jeff is right. Not a proud moment. This one is doubly not proud. As the $1.5 mill wife, I was not an...
- Ginger Wassum: I was another unfortunate person who was traveling from another state on a quiet Sunday morning to...
- tfr: Yes. I have seen a deer in the City. Foxes too.
On Commenting
We ask that our readers follow a few guidelines, noted below.Please do not post any personal attacks, profanity, spam or other advertisements — they will be removed. Also, please post using only one name or pseudonym, as this consistency helps establish a sense of community. We will delete posts if they are signed with different names but originate from the same IP or email address. And if you’re going to comment using a proper name, please make it your own. Deliberate misrepresentations will be removed.
I would be more concerned about companies trying to use the high schools as a way to market their products and attract young customers. I don’t see as much danger in corporations trying to raise student’s awareness of various career options even if they have their own agenda behind it. Regardless, I question how much influence this all can have as many students career options are shaped in College and even after that.
You’re right when you say many student career options are shaped in college. Lockheed Martin has found that you have to interest students in engineering while in the K-12 years so students take the math and science courses necessary to make them successful once they get to college engineering programs. If they don’t take those courses while in high school, it is a virtual certainty they will not make it through engineering degree programs. And given that enrollment rates in engineering degree programs are down, while birth data suggests they should be up, the need to develop the next generation of engineers by engaging at the K-12 level is even greater.
Wonderful idea. As long as the teaching is of subject matter related to the fields necessary to replenish the positions/professions lost due to the depletion of our aging society, and not so much the hype of Lockheed Martin and the like (commercialism), this can be a win-win relationship. This is the time to train our youths, to get them interested in occupations that made America great! We have to encourage our corporations to get more involved and invest in America’s future………………….our young.