There's something to be said for the skill of planning ahead, and it is absolutely a skill. It takes a bit of practice to be able to smartly plan for the future. This is something our governor did when he pushed for legislation in 2015 that required all public and charter schools to offer computer coding classes. And it reveals itself to be a smart investment every day.
Arkansas turned heads in 2015 when national outlets reported we were the first state to require computer coding classes in school. Some folks had a reaction worthy of Nathanael: Could anything good could come from Arkansas? Even the most muted reaction from people who probably thought no Southern state would lead the way on education was something akin to: Really? Yet here we are.
A recent announcement from Facebook and the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College highlights how requiring our schools to offer coding classes is paying off, bigly. The papers say representatives from Mark Zuckerberg came down to our neck of the woods to announce a digital marketing curriculum that'll soon be available at the community college.
The availability of this new curriculum could provide wonderful opportunities for students who will soon be part of our state's workforce. The Internet has come a long way from making loud screeching noises and tying up our phone lines. Now it creates millions of jobs across the world, and being educated in areas like coding and social media will help young people here get a leg up.
Facebook spokeswoman Ana Martinez told attendees at an event last week that more than 62 percent of small business owners consider having digital or social media skills an important factor in hiring decisions. (Only 62 percent?)
And interest in tech education continues to grow among high school students. Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced in November that more than 8,000 students were enrolled in computer science classes in the 2018-19 school year. To give you an idea of how big a jump that is, there were just over 1,100 students in similar courses in 2014-15. Kids know the Internet economy is here to stay, even if their parents are still catching up.
Arkansas is home to dozens of great startups, with more being created by pioneering entrepreneurs every year. This digital foundation our governor pushed ensures students have the opportunities to equip themselves with the right skills to execute their creative vision and create a wide spectrum of new companies ranging from areas of digital currency to robotics.
California may have Silicon Valley, and Oregon may have the Silicon Forest, but with strong digital growth built on the platform our governor helped to create, there's no reason why Arkansas can't have the Silicon South. That would keep our state's economy and job opportunities strong. How's that for smart planning?
Editorial on 12/16/2018