College freshmen less interested in tech

Incoming college students seem to have developed an allergy to computer science during the past four years--with women particularly being uninterested in the field.

That's the gist of a new report from Computing Research Association (CRA), a group made up of academic departments, research centers and professional societies.

The study could fuel concerns that the United States may be losing its edge in the realm of information technology, especially when measured against emerging powers such as India and China. The dot-com bust and offshore outsourcing have been mentioned as factors to explain declining interest among Americans in computer science.

		Perspective Can the U.S. still compete? OK, so winning isn't everything. But 17th place? Charles Cooper looks at America's poor showing in a world coding contest.

Citing research from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, the report says the percentage of incoming undergraduates indicating they would major in computer science declined by more than 60 percent between the fall of 2000 and the fall of 2004, and is now 70 percent lower than it was during its peak in the early 1980s.

Interest in computer science among women fell 80 percent between 1998 and 2004, and 93 percent since its peak in 1982, according to the report, which will appear in the May edition of Computing Research News.

Last fall, the number of incoming freshmen who felt they would probably major in computer science was just less than 1.5 percent of all enrolled freshmen, according to the report.

"Freshmen interest levels at any given point have been an accurate predictor of trends in the number of degrees granted four to five years later," the report said. "It therefore seems likely that there will be a sharp decline in the number of bachelor's degrees granted in CS (computer science) in the coming decade."

CRA said results from its own survey of computer science departments reinforce this argument. The group's survey found that the number of newly declared computer science majors has declined for the past four years and is now 39 percent lower than in the fall of 2000. Enrollments have declined 7 percent in each of the past two years, CRA said.

"With a fall in degree production looming, it is difficult to see how CS can match expected future demand for IT workers without raising women's participation at the undergraduate level," the group said.

The topic of the declining participation of women in IT is prominent among concerns about the future of high technology in the United States.

That decline is somewhat puzzling, in part because women have increased their share of jobs in related areas, such as natural sciences.

Interest in the issue has been spurred in part by a furor over remarks earlier this year by Harvard University President Lawrence Summers. At a conference in January, Summers suggested that innate differences between the genders could help explain why fewer women succeed in science and math careers. He later apologized for the remarks.

[unknown unknown]

Out source the jobs and create the preception that...

Indian IT professions can fill demand and for less this is what happen people get discouraged. Why spend tons of money and four years to get job that according to the media is being filled over seas.

[unknown unknown]

Out source the jobs and create the preception that...

Indian IT professions can fill demand and for less this is what happen people get discouraged. Why spend tons of money and four years to get job that according to the media is being filled over seas.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

that absolutely sucks

it truly does

[aabcdefghij987654321]

that absolutely sucks

it truly does

[DaClyde]

CS degree vs industry certs

I would like to see someone research how many of those potential computer science students decided against the 4 year degree and just went for some sort of IT certification instead. It's only relatively recently that many 4-year schools began offering CS degrees in something OTHER than programming, IC design or graphics. I bet there's been a pretty good jump in enrollment at 2-year schools offering networking courses while interest in 4-year courses drop.

[DaClyde]

CS degree vs industry certs

I would like to see someone research how many of those potential computer science students decided against the 4 year degree and just went for some sort of IT certification instead. It's only relatively recently that many 4-year schools began offering CS degrees in something OTHER than programming, IC design or graphics. I bet there's been a pretty good jump in enrollment at 2-year schools offering networking courses while interest in 4-year courses drop.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Not in this country

Many projects quoted to me are max'd out at $200.00
per week. Yes, that's per week! That works out to
$5.00 per hour. That is below minimum wage! I can
make more flipping burgers! Why did I go to school?

[sanenazok]

do more than one per week

duh

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Not in this country

Many projects quoted to me are max'd out at $200.00
per week. Yes, that's per week! That works out to
$5.00 per hour. That is below minimum wage! I can
make more flipping burgers! Why did I go to school?

[sanenazok]

do more than one per week

duh

[pcLoadLetter]

Not surprising

The fairly large amount of mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering courses scare many away.

To that I say good! Not only will it insure against oversaturation and an even bigger dive in wages and job positions, it will insure that only the most passionate will perservere through an extremely demanding programing. The IT world and computting in general will benefit.

[pcLoadLetter]

Not surprising

The fairly large amount of mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering courses scare many away.

To that I say good! Not only will it insure against oversaturation and an even bigger dive in wages and job positions, it will insure that only the most passionate will perservere through an extremely demanding programing. The IT world and computting in general will benefit.

[tsm26]

We are a nation of whiners

So many people talk of "not enough jobs", "outsourcing", "blah blah".

I am graduating in August in CS and have a full time contract web development job, plus side jobs. I didn't know anyone to get the jobs, I learned a lot on the side, entered a web competition, won, then met people and got jobs. I took one job away from an outsourced Indian company because they stunk, and they didn't care I cost more. Five of my friends are working for Microsoft and Google. There are plenty of jobs!!! I have to turn away jobs.

Maybe we should offer more and whine less. Maybe you get outsourced because you are lazy or don't offer them enough. Those companies that outsource everything will eat it later on. Stop whining!!!

[tsm26]

We are a nation of whiners

So many people talk of "not enough jobs", "outsourcing", "blah blah".

I am graduating in August in CS and have a full time contract web development job, plus side jobs. I didn't know anyone to get the jobs, I learned a lot on the side, entered a web competition, won, then met people and got jobs. I took one job away from an outsourced Indian company because they stunk, and they didn't care I cost more. Five of my friends are working for Microsoft and Google. There are plenty of jobs!!! I have to turn away jobs.

Maybe we should offer more and whine less. Maybe you get outsourced because you are lazy or don't offer them enough. Those companies that outsource everything will eat it later on. Stop whining!!!

College freshman disinterested in technology

Seeing their fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts being laid off or in constant fear of being laid off is all that is necessary to scare off the next generation. It used to be that tech workers worried about the lack of a career path after the first ten or fifteen years of employment. Now, they have to worry about being replaced by younger people in foreign countries that are cheaper and have fresher skill sets.

The solution has two components.

First, American computer language and operation system companies must quit shipping bug-invested, poorly designed tools. When the foundation is weak, the best application developer in the world is going to struggle. Older workers know better, and don't want to use the new crap. How many tens of billions were wasted on VB-based projects that crashed and burned in the 90s. The new kids didn't know any better and didn't care, so they embraced VB. The older workers knew VB was sick and have been left our in the cold.

Second, more American businesses need to re-train older tech workers, if they expect the best and brightest in the next generation to be interested in tech careers. Too many older tech workers are unemployed or under-employed right now. Forty year-old managers are not interested in fifty-five year-old programmers regardless of their previous accomplishments. Everybody can't be expected to go the management route. Even if the older tech worker has taken classes in .NET and Java, he/she can't claim experience in the newer technology until they get a chance to use it professionally. Too many CFOs and CEOs have believed the bloated promises of the tech industry salesmen and ignored the wisdom of their experienced work force.

If I had to do it over again, I would have earned a liberal arts degree instead of a Masters in IT. At least I wouldn't have to see my intelligent, highly-skilled friends being laid off and under utilized.

College freshman disinterested in technology

Seeing their fathers, mothers, uncles and aunts being laid off or in constant fear of being laid off is all that is necessary to scare off the next generation. It used to be that tech workers worried about the lack of a career path after the first ten or fifteen years of employment. Now, they have to worry about being replaced by younger people in foreign countries that are cheaper and have fresher skill sets.

The solution has two components.

First, American computer language and operation system companies must quit shipping bug-invested, poorly designed tools. When the foundation is weak, the best application developer in the world is going to struggle. Older workers know better, and don't want to use the new crap. How many tens of billions were wasted on VB-based projects that crashed and burned in the 90s. The new kids didn't know any better and didn't care, so they embraced VB. The older workers knew VB was sick and have been left our in the cold.

Second, more American businesses need to re-train older tech workers, if they expect the best and brightest in the next generation to be interested in tech careers. Too many older tech workers are unemployed or under-employed right now. Forty year-old managers are not interested in fifty-five year-old programmers regardless of their previous accomplishments. Everybody can't be expected to go the management route. Even if the older tech worker has taken classes in .NET and Java, he/she can't claim experience in the newer technology until they get a chance to use it professionally. Too many CFOs and CEOs have believed the bloated promises of the tech industry salesmen and ignored the wisdom of their experienced work force.

If I had to do it over again, I would have earned a liberal arts degree instead of a Masters in IT. At least I wouldn't have to see my intelligent, highly-skilled friends being laid off and under utilized.

[cpudrewfl]

Good.

When this genreration of IT retires there will be a shortage of IT workers. All these CEO will be crying we have a shortage of IT workers. Also we dont need the collge grads that are interested in IT just for the money and dont have a passion for the job. I enjoy my job doing IT and I do admit the pay is decent.

[cpudrewfl]

Good.

When this genreration of IT retires there will be a shortage of IT workers. All these CEO will be crying we have a shortage of IT workers. Also we dont need the collge grads that are interested in IT just for the money and dont have a passion for the job. I enjoy my job doing IT and I do admit the pay is decent.

[207796398873175208235380528963]

http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm

This is a MUST reading for those who care about the future of American IT and our national security (see the link): http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm

[207796398873175208235380528963]

http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm

This is a MUST reading for those who care about the future of American IT and our national security (see the link): http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm

[207796398873175208235380528963]

For those who care about American IT and our national security

This is a MUST reading for those who care about the future of American IT and our national security (see the link): http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm

[207796398873175208235380528963]

For those who care about American IT and our national security

This is a MUST reading for those who care about the future of American IT and our national security (see the link): http://www.alexanderbell.us/Initiative/IT.htm