State seeking to up computer science educational initiatives
Jan 27, 2014, 5:00 AM | Updated: 9:52 am
PHOENIX — A state representative is hoping to create a larger pool of tech-savvy professionals to fill the growing demand for qualified workers with computer science backgrounds.
“We want to create the workforce of tomorrow and the way you do that is being investing in our students today,” said Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix.
The bill would allow school to implement an option for students to take a computer science course that would fulfill a math requirement. The course would involve a high level of mathematics instruction combined with computer coding.
According to Gallego, the bill is getting positive feedback from the business community. “They realize the jobs of the future are in computer and computer technology industries and Arizona is not producing enough professionals to meet the demand,” added Gallego.
Last year, Arizona’s universities graduated a few hundred students with computer science and related degrees, while the demand for qualified personnel is in the thousands.
