By Dave Reed
We all hear the stories about how the CS job market has turned around (if it ever really was on a downward slope). But, when talking to students or their parents about what a great career option computer science is, it’s best to have some hard data.
Joel Adams at Calvin College has pulled together some stats and projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CRA, and U.S. News & World Report that are quite compelling. In particular, there is a nice bar graph that shows the shortage of CS grads relative to new jobs created, and compares that shortage with other science disciplines. Check it out at
http://cs.calvin.edu/p/ComputingCareersMarket
Dave Reed
CSTA Board of Director
Yeah, I’ve used bls statistics for the last few years, mostly on Back to School Nights. Interesting thing, though. Those data might be compelling to us because we have a vested interest in them. To most parents who, by the way will talk quite candidly with me about this and many other topics, they are unconvincing. When I ask why I get a number of responses: some of my parents are victims of the last round of outsourcing layoffs in the tech industry. They have advised their children to do anything but computer science. Others have close friends or family who are in similar positions. Others have no direct exposure to the computing sciences, but do work within in a technology industry—mostly at the managerial level (after all, these are well-to-do people). Many of them think that technology (and by this they don’t necessarily mean computer science) is important, but it’s something that other people do—you know, “foreigners.” I’ve heard a range of comments in that regard, mostly “you know, the Chinese or Indians are better at that kind of thing. We MANAGE them.”
Of course, my favorites are my co-workers who “have no idea what I teach,” or, “see no reason to teach the trades in an upscale high school.” When I hear comments along this last line, I count backwards and ask what they mean by “trades.” The answers vary, but they mostly say something like: “well, CS isn’t a highly-qualified discipline, so it’s an elective of some sort. So, is Art, but that’s highly-qualified. You’re teaching a trade.”
Now, I won’t depress you with students’ responses to these data. But I will offer you an image: deer staring into bright lights. Unfortunately, ‘data’ is irrelevant to most students who are, in spite of their astronomical (or maybe on account of) test scores, innumerate and illiterate … unless we measure literature in 7 second poorly written, and overly abbreviated quips. (7 seconds, I read somewhere, is the average amount of time a person spends on a hyperlink.)
No. I don’t think that any amount of “data” will change anything. First, we must change perceptions. Data is used, to the extent that it is used, to justify decisions based upon prior perception.
Of course, your results may vary.
TomR
We have to not only influence our parents and community but also those who decide what is considered electives and highly qualified classes. I recently had a conversation with a person at our State Department of Education and asked if the state had considered implementing a computer science curriculum. The person explained that lots of people wanted curriculum but it didn’t make sense because computer science is like an economics course that just juniors or seniors might take. His words not mine. I then enlightened him about the ACM Model Curriculum and that several school districts have CS courses throughout high school. He was surprised by this.
It was a wake up call for me that those who are supposed to have the best interest in our students and who are setting the educational standards for states are not fully aware of what computer science is, what should be taught, and that if we don’t do this soon the well will run dry for all the projected jobs. We need to interest our students at the high school so that they go to college and enroll in CS programs.
That is why all of us do what we do. We have to continue to show data like this to anyone who will listen and as Tom said we have to keep working on changing the perception of computer science.
Considering I (just) graduated in an allied degree program (the evil MIS) I nailed an automation gig making 56k/yr with only my 4yr under my belt. Some of the CS and CE buddies of mine I know did even better, though not adjusted for cost of living. (84k doesn’t get you far in California.)
I start my master’s in CS next fall and have no regrets looking back, in fact, I wish I would have picked this option sooner.
I am a parent and interested in my son (12) going into computer science. He’s had a PC since kindergarten and used to use it quite a bit on educational games and such.
The problem here in middle school, is that they only offer a keyboarding class and aren’t teaching any real computer skills that would grow his interest in CS. He ends up teaching other kids how to use the computer.
About six months ago I helped him set up a website of his own, but with the iPad-Touch, Xbox, Wii and Nintendo DS dominating kids his age, and nothing at school to tweak his interested, he’s starting to lose touch with his computer.
The result, I’m starting to teach him some programming skills myself so he can help maintain our family water filtration business website. My only concern is that it seems like computer science majors are becoming the factory workers of yesterday with all of the foreign competition driving down salaries. Even so, I want him to follow his dreams and desires.
Thanks for the nice post, I really appreciate it!
As someone who has been in the “life sciences” for the past 20 years (how did that happen so quickly?!) the part of the graph that immediately grabbed my eye was the proportion of life science grads to jobs. Becoming a psychologist was pretty competitive in my day and its absolutely insane now. My personal hypothesis (and experience with my son) is that most schools simply do not make the necessary basics such as math appear relevant in anyway to the real world. Kids are taught to test, not to think or see the connection so that by the time it comes time to select a career life sciences or some other major seems a much more relevant (and less challenging) option. Sad, as our country is already seeing the impact of this on the growth of new technology.
This is an excellent thought provoking post.
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