Why should Teen & Youth Tech Innovation be inspired?

 

Today any country’s future prosperity and quality of life depends on its ability to be competitive in a knowledge-based, global economy in which science and technology play a vital role. Although some may argue, that most natural resources are still playing an important role in a global economy, the 21st century demands a highly skilled, well-educated workforce. It’s a given fact that globalization wipes the boundaries and this workforce can be perceived as global.

Technology plays the most important role in today’s progress and many countries, including the US see the strength in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields as the indicator of a nation’s ability to sustain itself.

So the natural course for the society is to encourage STEM fields’ studies. It will naturally prepare youth for the demands of the 21st century.

But is it enough to bring support and create a real innovative culture?

Teens and youth have an inborn desire to make the world a better place, they have the capacity for real action and an air of optimism.

Surveys conducted in different countries show that more than 1/3 of all teens reported having a great idea for a unique invention. What they seek for is an encouragement and guidance from adults.

Josh Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program, a nonprofit initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose mission is to recognize outstanding inventors, encourage sustainable new solutions to real-world problems, and enable and inspire young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention says, that “Today’s teens are inheriting our society’s environmental challenges, so their confidence and optimism that the problems are solvable is promising and exciting. However, we owe our youth the tools they will need to solve these challenges.”

Schuler noted that 40 % of the teens in the US who are most confident in their ability to invent are most likely to believe their high school is preparing them for a career in technology or engineering.

“It takes practice. Students need the opportunity to get their hands dirty and invent,” he said. “Generally speaking, there’s not enough ‘learning by doing’ taking place in today’s high schools, and our survey found that students recognize this.”

So we educate youth for STEM fields, give them environment to invent. But does it imply we support innovation culture and let them grow into it?

Most definitions of “Innovation” include the application of new ideas or approaches to a process or product. In this way, the word has been used extensively by those examining the commercialization of new ideas or organizational behavior in business. The concept of an ‘innovation culture’ is more elusive and has been the subject of considerable discussion. Culture is a reflection of a group’s beliefs and values. An innovation culture therefore, might be defined as a population that understands and embraces the importance of innovation. It demands that all people in the defined group are engaged in innovation; not only a small subset of people who are specially trained.

In his in interview to Harward Business Publishing David Kester, Chief Executive, Design Council points out that in order to create innovation you must create a culture of innovation.

Actually, to get youth embrace innovation and grow into it, the whole society should stand behind and support the “innovatization” of culture.

Then the efforts to educate youth to innovation will lead us to societies that welcome change, are prepared to take measured risk, and create new ideas to drive innovation.

On the contrary without innovation culture countries will not survive.

Want to check if your country has an innovation culture?

1. Try to find out how frequently interesting new ideas, concepts, products, or services are produced in your country. How many IPOs were executed last year?
2. Have you been exposed to/involved in an internal discussion in your society focused largely on innovation?
3. Does your country’s policy favour innovation? What budget (percentage of your country’s GDP) was secured for Innovation Support programs?
4. Is there any  governmental educational support of innovation?
5. Are there programs supporting Leadership for Innovation?

The positive answers indicate, that you live in the society, that supports an innovation culture and invests in the development of human talent to meet the demands of a global, knowledge-based economy.

Got negative answers? Start serving the Innovation Cause! Let me and others hear your voice!