by Cree McCree
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- As if the U.S. economy didn’t have enough problems, now it’s facing a techie bust. Enrollment in undergraduate IT degree programs was more than 50% lower in 2008 than in 2003, according to the Computing Research Association’s annual survey (Time 6.23.08).
- During the same five-year period, demand for IT workers surged in businesses across the board, from high-tech multinationals to local hospitals and insurance agencies.
- With Boomer IT workers retiring and fewer students opting for computer-science degrees, experts are concerned there won’t be enough tech workers to fill the 1.6 billion openings expected by 2016.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Tech-savvy Millennials may be plugged into their iPods and racking up Facebook friends, but that doesn’t mean they want to grow up to be IT drones. Colleges and companies that want to woo them need to offer internships with plenty of geek appeal and fun perks.
- It’s never too soon to get kids excited about computers. The best way to build the IT leaders of the future is to spark their imaginations in elementary school.
RESOURCES
