Obamas Seven Wasted Years - Essay Example

Obama’s Seven Wasted Years America is staring at a dual tragedy that might see its economy head for the south in the future. The prominent economic problem that has characterized the U.S. since its history has been the problem of unemployment. However, this problem is taking an unexpected twist in the second decade of the twenty-first century with unemployment still remaining a major issue, yet unemployment per se is an lesser issue of concern. According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal on December 3, 2015, the issue of unemployment is still persistent, but the cause of unemployment is rather a new phenomena.

The new job hiring by different American businesses in the month of November 2015 increased slightly, within an increase from 0 to 0.01% additional workers being newly recruited by the businesses (Freeman, n.p.). Nevertheless, the problem of this little employment is not caused by lack of opportunities within these businesses, but simply by a lack of qualified professionals to fill the vacancies arising in these businesses. For example, a report released by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) indicated that 85% of the organizations that hired or were trying to hire new workers in the month of November reported that there were only few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were advertising (Freeman, n.p.).

Such a report must scare the American society, because it is an indication that the educational and professional development system in America has a certain gap. The most concerning aspect of such statistics is that when America is lacking in certain professional qualifications, other major economies in the world such as in Asia and Europe are continuously ranking high in the education quality offered to their people. For example, it is almost certain that students in the same grade in countries such as South Korea, China and Singapore will outperform their American counterparts in subjects such as mathematics and science.

Such information has been in the public limelight for the longest now, but the actual results have just started to show up. The American education system could be deficient is some aspect, and it is time the gap is discovered and addressed, if the future of the nation as the giant global economy will be sustained. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), only too few students study science or technical subjects in the U.S., such that businesses and organizations cannot find enough workers in these fields (Charette, n.p.).

The state of any economy is just as healthy and vibrant as its workforce. Therefore, if the workforce is wanting, there is absolutely no doubt that the economy is wanting too, or at least will be in the near future. The warning bells that the American education system is wanting, especially in the science and technical subjects, have sounded more than a thousand times in the past (Charette, n.p.). Therefore, it is time a decisive step is taken, or the future America will no longer rank among the leading global economies.

Works Cited Charette, Robert N. “The STEM Crisis Is a Myth”. Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 30 Aug 2013. Web. December 3, 2015. http://spectrum.ieee.org/at-work/education/the-stem-crisis-is-a-myth Freeman, James. Obama’s Seven Wasted Years. The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 3, 2015. Web. December 3, 2015. http://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-seven-wasted-years-1449145509