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Home / Washington Business - July/August 2007 / Chair's Corner: Science crucial to our children's future |
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Chair's Corner: Science crucial to our children's future |
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Written On: July/August 2007 |
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Written By: by Kirk Nelson, Chair, Board of Directors |
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Kirk Nelson is state president for Qwest Communications International. Nelson is the company's business and policy leader in Washington, responsible for all state operations, including legislative and regulatory advocacy.
In my 28 years working for Qwest, I have never seen a more exciting time in the world of communications than exists right now. I’ve written before about converging technologies—how telephone companies are offering television service, how cable companies are providing phone service, and how customers have choices from almost every communications provider.
I have also discussed the need for a regulatory environment that mirrors the competitive reality of this industry. However, for our nation's communications industry to continue to innovate and thrive, an appropriate regulatory environment must be coupled with a trained workforce.
More than 4,000 employees work to maintain Qwest's voice and data systems in Washington. The nature of these jobs has completely changed over the past 10 years. Backgrounds in science, math and engineering are more important than ever. To deliver the most efficient and cost-effective product for the nation's future communications needs, the industry must have the skilled workforce to develop and maintain these complex systems.
Recently, I've had the opportunity to visit many of Washington’s schools. I'm impressed at how high the bar has been set for our students and educators, and how both reach to surpass it. As we look to build the best education system for our children—the future leaders of our economy and businesses—we must continue to leverage every available resource, including those available through Washington businesses.
Business can play a unique and valuable role in supporting our state's education system—not just through funding, but by tapping into and sharing our expertise and real-life experience in the classroom. Qwest employees have been volunteering in Washington schools ever since I came to the company. Through my experience as AWB chair, I know that employees of many other businesses also make extraordinary commitments of time and talent.
We all are committed to supporting education, because we know the future of our businesses and our society depend on it. Our employees have been offering their expertise to local schools, hoping to to spark the students' curiosity in the sciences. For example, Qwest developed a game for elementary school students which involved using a map of their home town to site cellular towers. Students compete on teams to deliver the best coverage for their community.
In the process, students learn the science behind putting together a comprehensive and robust communications system involving copper wires, fiber optics, cell towers and microwave—a real application of the principles of physics. Students learn how the different methods of transmission impact the speed of voice and data signals and the distance they can travel.
In evaluating how we could better support the state’s education system, we asked our employees for their input. Overwhelmingly, they asked for Qwest to reinstate its "matching time" program. For every 60 hours an employee or his family volunteers with an organization, Qwest donates $500 to that organization. Employees statewide are taking advantage of the program, exposing our children to the value of math and science.
Qwest also recently launched Teachers and Technology, a $100,000 grant program open to all teachers in the state. In March 2007, at the annual meeting of the Northwest Council for Computer Education in Spokane, 10 Washington teachers received a $10,000 grant recognizing their successful use of technology in the classroom to spur student learning. Through this grant, we hope to inspire other teachers across the state to do the same.
Enhancing public-private partnerships will help leverage our state resources to better prepare our children for the world that will meet them as adults. On behalf of AWB, I want to thank our educators for what they do and their service to our community. With their support and openness, businesses in our state have been able use their employees’ skills and knowledge in math and science to play a role helping to prepare our children to lead Washington’s economic future.
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