In the United States, we have a tendency to think that we have all the answers. The concept of American ingenuity is so ingrained in our culture that we suppose that we have a monopoly on innovation. Creative arrogance is a dangerous thing. Not only does it close off the free flow of new ideas, it kills the single most important element of innovation: altered perspective. Novel concepts, new solutions, inventive approaches to old problems don't spring forth out of thin air, they happen when you look at a situation from a different angle. That's what happened on the Island Nation of Singapore and it led to one of the most successful approaches to technical education in the world. Once low academic achievers where relegated to ITE- the Institute of Technical Education. But the education was so bad that some people said ITE stood for, "It's The End”. But as Singapore's economy heated up in the early 90's the desperate need for a highly skilled workforce changed how political and educational leaders viewed those students who did not do well in the classroom. Instead of being seen as academic failures, these young people were viewed as experiential learners who would blossom in a hands-on technical environment. This single shift in perspective combined with a massive restructuring of ITE has made Singapore the envy of the world. What you are about to see is an educational system so successful that Singapore has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the world with over 90% of graduates finding jobs in their chosen field.
