In the summer of 1969, America landed a man on the moon and secured a spot at the front of the international space race.
In the decades since, the United States has continued to lead the way in scientific and technological discovery, with many of the most important innovations in the last 50 years happening right here in California.
However, recent reports have revealed American students are increasingly falling behind in proficiency in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM – the areas of study in which our nation must excel in order to remain a leader.
The jobs of the 21st century are jobs in STEM: whether it's a mechanical engineering position at Lockheed Martin here in Southern California or a job in information technologies for Exxon Mobile in Dubai. In fact, jobs in STEM fields are growing faster than any other industry except health care. By 2018, one in 20 global jobs, an estimated 2.8 million, will be STEM related.
Despite the increasing demand, America isn't producing nearly enough qualified workers in the STEM fields. According to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the United States will need to produce 1 million more graduates in STEM fields than currently projected to meet the demand. In stark contrast, some of our fiercest international competitors are focusing their efforts on training their workforce to excel in math, science and engineering and are quickly overtaking America in STEM proficiency.
So why are we – the home of Apple, Facebook and Tesla – now following instead of leading the way in innovation? A critical part of the problem is that our education system is not preparing our students to compete on the world stage in the STEM fields. In a study conducted by the Programme for International Student Assessment, U.S. students rank 23 in math and 31 in science when compared to 65 other top industrial countries. The study also found that only 26 percent of the nation's high school seniors perform at proficient levels or above in math. That number drops to 21 percent when measuring proficiency in science.
Encouraging students to become interested and engaged in science, math and engineering is an important first step toward producing more workers who specialize in these fields. That's why I've co-sponsored the STEM Academic Competition Resolution, a competition among students from each congressional district to promote STEM education. Focusing first on developing mobile applications for phones, tablets and other computer devices, this congressional competition will motivate students to explore and create. I'm excited to see what innovative technologies these students develop; the competition could inspire the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg to discover their true passion.
Whether taking mankind's first steps on a faraway planet or revolutionizing technology in a California garage, the desire to explore, innovate and discover is woven into the fabric of American society. If we wish to remain globally competitive, we must get serious about addressing barriers to college and work toward closing the gap in STEM education, interest and engagement.
Rep. Ed Royce is serving his eleventh term in Congress representing Southern California's 39th District, based in Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties.