Tommy Gardner, chief technology officer at HP Federal, has cited recommendations from a nonprofit organization and said governments and industries looking to drive technological innovation must prioritize augmenting talent with advanced computing capabilities, increasing sustainable production and ensuring supply chain security.
The Council on Competitiveness included strategies in its “Competing in the Next Economy” report that could help the U.S. be “a hub of ingenuity and invention” in the future, Gardner said in a piece published Monday on FedTech.
To create a technology talent base, he said the government must invest in raising the number and diversity of workforce geared for innovation in technical fields.
“To cast a wide enough net, these investments should include programs targeting students starting in junior high school and continuing through graduate school,” said Gardner.
He also emphasized that government efforts, such as including sustainability requirements into requests for proposals, could help meet the demand for sustainable products.
Gardner, who is a part of the Council on Competitiveness and advised on the final recommendations in its report, added that necessary measures are needed to boost the security of supply chains.
“The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the need for strong, flexible, responsive supply chains that can support production of technological products under adverse circumstances.”