Pillar 6: Empowering 10x Skilled Workforce

People innovate, so to build a world-leading innovation economy, and secure it for generations to come, the United States must first build a world-leading innovation workforce. Yet, today, the country faces skills shortages across our economy— from the researchers making discoveries in AI, quantum, biology, and nuclear to entrepreneurs commercializing new technologies to the manufacturers and technicians needed to deploy and operate next-generation technologies and processes.

Recommendations

1. Establish an “all of nation talents program” and create incentives for U.S. students to enter critical technology fields to expand the U.S. science and technology talent pipeline.
   
2. Federal agencies (U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense, and Education; National Science Foundation; et al.) should provide financial and economic incentives for U.S. students to go into technical fields with significant shortages, offering competitive, paid scholarships and stipends.
   
3. U.S. Department of Defense Service branches—Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force—should forge new partnerships to connect civilian communities to national security assets and operations in their respective regions.
   
4. Academia and industry need to foster strong links and partnerships for students to attain and rapidly adapt to business-ready skills.
   
5. Align workforce design and preparation activities across the regional innovation ecosystem, with the active participation of workforce boards, businesses, and local economic development authorities.
   
6. Increase investment in polytechnic institutions and community colleges to strengthen and upskill the technical workforce.
   
7. Emphasize experiential learning models and support from employers. 8. Invest in lifelong learning programs, empathizing experimental learning modules with support from employers.