As the global job market continues to evolve, education must adapt to meet the increasing demands of employers. American academia has fallen behind its European counterparts despite record spending by both universities and students. 
Louisiana consistently scores in the lowest tier of high school education, placing 46th in the 2013 U.S. News and World Report rankings. A poor primary education correlates with substandard university performance; this cascade of underachievement is a result of systematic flaws which are keeping our state — and nation — from flourishing economically. 
Europe holds an advantage in its teaching methods. Educators there encourage students to learn by experience through apprenticeships, whereas American universities focus on graduation rates and often sacrifice quality for the sake of graduating more students.
Most universities employ this factory model of education, but none are advocating for the inclusion of courses that introduce undergraduates to the market by allowing them to work with companies.
LSU has a strong foothold in the STEM fields and benefits from great                       alumni support. It should utilize these resources and introduce joint-apprenticeships with local businesses that are looking to hire graduates. In doing so, Louisiana’s flagship university can optimally prepare its students while leading the national discussion in youth employment and education.    
Cool Planet, a clean-energy company, will be constructing its first commercial facility in Alexandria and is looking to build two more units in Louisiana. In a state where fossil fuels reign supreme, Cool Planet’s presence can both springboard Louisiana into the modern energy discussion and serve as a pilot for the apprenticeship program.
Instead of learning abstract information that is usually extraneous, students can learn firsthand how a commercial facility goes from idea to actuality. Undergraduates can intern with the company in between   semesters to gain experience and see if they truly are interested in that field. If LSU encourages this form of education and implements courses into its own system, it will notice brighter prospects for its students.
Germany’s vocational system has become a model for European nations because it has been so successful — and America should take notes. Youth employment in Germany is the highest in Europe, with a jobless rate of 7.8 percent. That’s almost half of the youth unemployment rate here in the states, which hovers around 16 percent.
Some consider Germany’s scientists and engineers to be among the best in the world, largely in part because students become involved in their respective industries at a young age. High school graduates often begin on-the-job training while taking courses that connect them with companies and exposes them to the market. This method is becoming more popular overseas.
Almost 60 percent of German high school graduates choose this vocational method over traditional ones because it’s proven to work. The labor market in Germany is continuing to grow, and almost 33 percent of German companies experienced a shortage of workers in 2011. I know it sounds impossible, but there is such a thing as a worker shortage.
Many companies in Europe pay those who choose the vocational route because they know these future workers will be skilled producers. Interns in America rarely receive compensation for their work, discouraging many from pursing a non-typical education. What’s missing is an institutional leader who understands the importance of joint-apprenticeships and its effects on the local economy.   
 Not only will this new system benefit students, it will show other companies like Cool Planet that our state is ready to diversify its energy portfolio, which may attract more businesses that are invested in working with non-traditional energy sources. No matter which side of the climate change debate you find yourself, we can all agree that more local businesses and cooperation between those businesses and LSU will generate growth for the university and its graduates.
           
Andrew Stolzle is a 21-year-old mechanical engineering junior from Baton Rouge.