I remember reading an article some time ago now that said, “in the future there will be too types of people. Those that code and those that don’t.” While this is a rather simplistic statement, it struck a cord with me that still resonates with me. We aren’t there yet but by the time my son graduates (12/13 years) we will be. Already the problem of finding enough computer science students is an issue. There are approximately 587,000 computing jobs nationwide, (US) which is growing at 2x the national average, but only about 38,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce this year.In fact, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by the year 2020, there will be one million more computer science jobs than graduates prepared for these jobs.
One of the reasons why this is such an issue is because sadly the following graphic is too true. This is exacerbated by the fact that only 27 states allow computer science courses to count towards graduating high school. Is Canada in the same boat as the US in regards to this issue? I’ve not seen anything to suggest different.
This growing shortfall of computer science graduates, and a lack of action on the part of states and school districts was the main dirvers behind the creationg of Code.org® was created.
Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. We believe computer science should be part of core curriculum, alongside other courses such as biology, chemistry or algebra.
This week is Computer Science Education Week (7th to 12th December) and I wonder if there will be any involvement in Yukon Schools? I know that my son will be taking part in some activities but that’s only because we’ll be doing them together. If you want to look at some of what is offered then head over to their website and check out their resources. (This page for educators.)
It goes without saying that this should be a part of all students curriculum today. With the redesign of the BC curriculum getting into its final stages it will be interesting to see if any computer science has been included. If anyone had information about the state of computer sciences in Canadian Schools that they would like to share, then please feel free to leave a comment.
