Gender & Computing

Joanne McGrath Cohoon

UVA Associate Professor

NCWIT Senior Research Scientist

NCSU TapestryJuly 18, 2012

WE ARE HEADED FOR A WORKFORCE CRISIS

BLS Projected 2020 Employment for Occupations Requiring a College Degree Only

Recreation workers Recreational therapists Athletic trainers

Reporters, correspondents, broadcast news ana-lysts

Set & exhibit designers Interior designers Industrial designers

Graphic designersArchivists

Health educators

Survey researchers

Microbiologist

Zoologists

Atmospheric scientists

Biological technicians

Chemists & materials scien-tists

Conservation scientists

Economists

Environmental scientists Geographers

Geoscientists

Mining & geological engineers

Nuclear engineersPetroleum engineers

SurveyorsAerospace engineers

Agricultural engineersBiomedical engineers

Cartographers

Chemical engineersCivil engineers

Elec & electonic engineers

Environmental engineers

Health and safety engineers

Industrial engineersMarine engineers Materials engineers

Mechanical engineersComputer hardware engineers

Computer programmers

Computer systems analysts

Network and computer systems admin

Software developersOperations research analysts

Human resources specialists

Market research analysts

Personal financial advisors

Accountants and auditors

Budget analystsCost estimators

Financial analystsMedical & health services mgrs

BLS Projected 2020 Occupational employment for jobs requiring college degree only

CS

Computing Offers More Jobs than other Sci & Engineering Fields

Employment in Major Occupational Groups Projected for 2020, in thousands

Source: BLS – Employment Projections to 2020

30% of jobs, but 5% of intended computing majors

CS &IS % of All Intended Majors, 2012 Computing's % of All Jobs for College Grads 2020

0%

10%

20%

30%

30% of jobs in 2020, but 5% of intended computing majors in 2012

% of All Intended Majors Computing's % of All Jobs for College Grads0%

10%

20%

30%

CIS

Engineering

30% of jobs in 2020, but 5% of intended computing majors in 2012

CS &IS % of All Intended Majors Computing's % of All Jobs for College Grads0%

10%

20%

30%

CIS

Engineering

Physical SciMath

NC will face the same crisis

WHAT ARE THESE COMPUTING JOBS?

Computer science studies computers and problem-solving processes, including their • Principles• Designs• Applications• Impact

It is an intellectual activity that asks questions like• Which information is relevant to solving a problem?• How do data become knowledge?• What method will solve this type of problem?

Computing is about creation and problem solving

IT is pervasive

IT is a driver of the U.S. and global economy

IT is a critical tool of national security

IT drives science and technology

IT is changing the economic and social foundations of our society

information technology1: all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange

and use information in its various forms

2: the design and use of computers and communications to improve the way we live, learn, work, and play

It offers and constrains options in health care, understanding climate change, security, for example

Computing shapes the world we live in

Computing offers exciting work that affects our world and the people in it

Create technology for

• Tracking endangered dolphins

• Mobile forensics labs for instant analysis

at crime scenes

• GPS systems that guide blind people

• Scanning DNA for childhood diseases

• Designing and displaying new fashions

• Restoring and preserving art workSource: dotdiva.org

1. Software Engineer

2. Mathematician

3. Actuary

4. Statistician

5. Computer Systems Analyst

According to CareerCast

Best Jobs in America 2011

Three of the top ten occupations are computing

Systems Engineer

IT Project Manager

Network Security Consultant

Manage large complex projects

Plan, organize, and oversee the team on a computing project

Protect important computer systems from infiltrationSource: CNNMoney.com, Best Jobs in

America, 2011

COMPUTER SCIENTISTS GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIESTechnology for human rights• Design secure databases to

record human rights abuses while shielding the identities of victims or witnesses

• Create tools that help ordinary people collect extraordinary amounts of money for important causes

Computer

Scientists

work in

every

industry

17

Source: dotdiva.org

Computing occupations are well paid

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Excellent Job Opportunity Expected

Source: BLS Occupational Employment Projections to 2020

Graphic designers

Child, family, and school social workers

Computer programmers

Medical and health services managers

Network and computer systems administrators

Software developers, systems software

Market research analysts and markenting specialists

Software developers, applications

Computer systems analysts

Accountants and auditors

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Occupations with the Most Predicted Job Openings (in thousands) typically requiring a Bachelors De-gree, but no experience or on-the-job training, 2020

UR students69%

white & asian men31%

College Student Demographics, 2009

Mitigate the crisisDraw from the majority

WHY TEACH COMPUTING IN HIGH SCHOOL?

Experience increases success

Experienced students get better grades in Intro CS

Experience typically assumed

AP-Takers are more likely to major

No CS AP

CS A

CS AB

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

3%

19%

32%

Computing Major

High School is an important time for developing education & career goalsMajority of college students majoring in STEM make

that choice during high school-Maltese & Tai 2011

Med/Health Non Science STEM Computer Science0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Male

Female

Career Interest at the Beginning of High School

Pro

bab

ilit

y o

f C

S I

n-

tere

st a

t th

e E

nd

of

Hig

h S

cho

ol

Source: Unpublished data from Sonnert

Offer CS in HSActively recruit more diverse students

PREPARE AND ROLE PLAY AN ELEVATOR TALK

Free Resources to learn more and Inform Others

Statistics about computing education and workforce in your area www.ncwit.org/edjobsmap

NCWIT is the National Center for Women & Information Technology

Our coalition includes more than 250 universities, corporations, and non-profits.

Mobilizing for Change: NCWIT

Now that you know

Looming workforce crisisHow diversity can help meet workforce needsThe importance of HS for computing career preparation

Prepare your students for the world in which they will live