<p>“Spellings said fewer students are taking advantage of national SMART grants, which provide up to $4,000 for the third and fourth year for qualifying students in science, mathematics, technology and engineering degree programs. Of the $900 million allocated for the SMART program, less than half has been spent.”</p>
<p>“Although more than 70 percent of college students use some form of financial aid, the SMART program suffers because many students are not interested in those fields and those who are aren’t prepared to advance further in college.”</p>
<p>“‘We can’t even spent the money and that’s sad commentary,’ she said.”</p>
<p>I think it’s really sad that students income-eligible for the SMART program aren’t pursuing the courses that would get them the money the program has on offer.</p>
<p>“Spellings agreed that the cost and evolution of technology makes teaching the fundamentals to educators take too much time. Additionally, the higher education system is not producing enough qualified students for the non-innovative jobs, which were cutting edge a decade ago.” </p>
<p>So did she propose paid sabbatical to educators to they can learn the fundamentals? Did she go around telling students to get themselves qualifed in unexciting “non-innovative jobs” that are being shipped to India anyway?</p>
<p>Yeah, we really need to crank out some more un/underemployed C.S. grads, to watch “local” companies like Motorola and Intel farm out their operations globally, paying workers a mere fraction of what they would here in the U.S. Technology education is a black hole, all right, from which there is no escape… why do you think most students perceive it to be such an unattractive career option?!</p>
<p>^ The only place I’ve ever worked (besides my current employment) that is still in business is the County Department of Social Services. It’s still going strong after 26 years. ;)</p>
<p>– and if those tech jobs aren’t being shipped off to India or the Philippines, they’re getting constantly downgraded by outrageous company demands and constantly-worse benefits. My high-tech company just changed our insurance so it is far more expensive and covers far less. $1,000,000 lifetime limit. You get cancer, you get bankrupt, as simple as that. The folks here are bailing out in record numbers – which was the idea: make the company lean and cheap to run and attractive for sale or merger. So much for the attractiveness of the tech sector.</p>
<p>“What is an attractive career option these days?”</p>
<p>Sales is always good, entertainment, law, anything in healthcare EXCEPT physician, banking & finance, most engineering (even C.S. if you’re young and REALLY good), home services, etc., etc., etc. Now that Jackie O is gone I’m encouraging my D to become a book editor!</p>
<p>I had never even heard of SMART before so I took a look at their webpage (always on the lookout for scholarships for DS!). Didn’t see anything about $4000/yr scholarships. Rather, it appears to be a program sponsored by the Dept of Defense that pays all college costs in exchange for a commitment to work for a DoD agency during summers and upon graduation-but it’s not clear to me for how long after graduation: </p>
<p>“Upon selection, students must sign a DoD civilian service agreement. The post-graduation employment obligation to the DoD civilian S&E workforce upon completion of the scholarship will be a one-for-one commitment. Failure to complete the required period of service will require the reimbursement of any monies expended by the Government on the individual’s behalf under this program. Graduating students with a STEM degree will enter federal service as a DoD civilian employee at a DOD laboratory or agency. Students must be geographically mobile (usually this means within any of the 50 states) for placement in the Department of Defense within relevant STEM career fields following graduation.”</p>