Computer occupations are not only some of the fastest growing in California and the nation, but also among the highest paying. Yet, by 2022, the nation is projected to have 1.3 million unfilled jobs in these fields, many of which will be located in our state.
In large part, this shortfall is a consequence of the lack of access and disparities in access to computer science education in California. According to the Level Playing Field Institute, 65 percent of California public high schools offered no computer science courses in 2015; only 13 percent offered AP Computer Science.
In terms of student access, only 1 percent of the over half million high school students in the 20 largest districts in the state were enrolled in computer science courses. African-American and Latino students, who make up 59 percent of all California public school students, were just 13 percent of 2015 AP Computer Science course takers. Only 26 percent were female.
A new law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in September begins to tackle this problem. Assembly Bill 2329, authored by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla and co-sponsored by TechNet and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene an advisory panel that will help develop the foundation for K-12 computer science education statewide.
This is a crucial step in preparing California students of all backgrounds to compete in the global economy.
Code.org has found that girls who take AP Computer Science in high school are 10 times more likely to major in that field in college. African-American and Latino students who take AP Computer Science are more than seven times as likely to major in the field.
Increased access to computer science is a prerequisite for the next generation to have the knowledge necessary to fully participate in and benefit from our increasingly technology-driven society. It is the difference between passive consumption and active contribution.
While we are heartened by this crucial first step by Brown and the state Legislature, a federally focused and funded strategy is necessary to accelerate and support the progress being made at the state level. Currently, there is no federal funding dedicated to K-12 computer science education.
If we do not take action and allocate federal funding, we risk falling behind other nations that have prioritized teaching computer science. In addition to falling behind globally, a lack of investment in computer science could result in high-paying jobs going unfilled here at home.
Computing occupations are the top generator of all new wages in the country. They comprise over 70 percent of all projected new STEM professions, Code.org reports. Foundational computational skills are now required in nearly every sector of the American economy, from information to healthcare to finance, regardless of region or state.
Beyond jobs and the economy, computational competency is a critical national security concern. According to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted by Peninsula Press, there are more than 209,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the nation.
The need for and importance of these skills will only increase as time goes on.
With American innovation, economic growth and national security so closely tied to a skilled computational workforce, a nationwide strategy with federal funding is essential if we are to remain competitive in the global economy and secure in our national operations.
Efforts at the state level, such as AB 2329, are an encouraging start. In order to comprehensively address the issue, however, congressional investment is required.
Dan’l Lewin is Corporate Vice President for Technology & Civic Engagement at Microsoft. Mitch Kapor is a partner in Kapor Capital. Paul Escobar is Director of Policy and Foundation Programs for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. They wrote this for The Mercury News.