At a time when the nation is alarmed over the shortage of qualified science and mathematics teachers in public schools, the National Executive Service Corps (NESO) has discovered an untapped reserve: an ever-abundant supply of technical professionals nearing retirement who have expressed willingness to teach.
Thousands of scientific and technically trained professionals annually reach retirement age, but it was not known to what extent they would be interested in teaching as a second career. Nor was it known what factors might encourage or discourage their entering the profession. Prior to committing to an operational strategy, NESC determined that a feasibility study was needed to answer these questions. In April 1986, Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded NESC a grant for such a study.
With the help of the Educational Testing Service, more than 7,500 individuals in seven leading corporations and in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy were surveyed....