College students continue to shun computer science

Link: College students continue to shun computer science.

Evidence continues to appear that the computer science profession is suffering in the free market of ideas and capitalism.  After recent reports of over 30% decline in enrollments in CS programs, UCLA is reporting a 60% decline from the peak of the bubble, more than 70% down since their all-time highs.  As long as news reports are dominated by news of lay-offs, outsourcing and obsolescence - one has to wonder where a more positive message might come from.

Not all IT vendors are willing to wait. IBM announced May 24 that it was giving customized training, worth $7 million, to students of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, part of the Big Blue's Academic Initiative program aimed at students interested in open standards and IBM products. "The numbers don't lie," said Buell Duncan, general manager of the IBM Academic Initiative, in a company statement on the gift. With 1.5 million new IT jobs projected by 2007 by the U.S. Department of Labor and a steep decline in graduates with computing degrees, a labor shortage is inevitable, he said. "The business sector needs to step and be part of the solution."

(-- originally posted by Rich Bowers, Coordinator, Ohio IT Clearinghouse)