Xerox CEO, Ursula Burns is deeply concerned about the lack of science and technology skills among US job applicants. In 2006, in one sub-enginereeing category 106,000 jobs remained unfilled due to skills shortages. Burns is adamant that if US domestic students do not step up in fields such as math and science the US will lose its competitive bias.
Burns attributes a number of factors responsible for the overall decline in US competitiveness. The disintegration of family structures, a breakdown in schools, a deviation from performance and accountability, a focus away from science and math and what creates value. She calls for a return to basics. Burns is panic stricken about the lack of suitable candidates in the US and the increasing need to recruit abroad to locate the skills Xerox requires.