Should the state steer students to science, tech jobs?

In its 50 Ideas to Fix Michigan series, The Detroit News posted an idea from former state superintent of schools Tom Watkins. He suggests the state should steer students to underfilled professions:

Use market forces to steer students to high-demand fields such as math, science and technology. Those who major in high-demand job fields could have their tuition cut in half, while those majoring in low-demand fields could pay 1.5 times the going tuition rate.

This seems to make some sense at first, but then what about our children who want to be musicians, teachers or social workers? Should they be punished with more tuition for excelling at school and getting into a college to study what they love?

What do you think? How could the government make sure we have a 21st Century workforce without punishing those who go into less profitable fields?