For years, technology industry leaders and even presidents have encouraged young people to learn to code, promising them a future filled with well-paying jobs and endless opportunities. But now that promise may be fading.
As part of the latest 13 Investigates report, local technologists and county leaders are working together to provide early adopters of STEAM while providing students with hands-on experience in the growing technology pathway.
In the early 2010s, coding was seen as the golden ticket to a career in tech. Billionaires and high-tech executives say studying computer science can boost the economy and secure jobs for the next generation. And it worked for a little while…but not so well now.
The number of undergraduate students majoring in computer science has more than doubled since 2014, to more than 170,000 last year, according to the Computing Research Association. But now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, things are changing. AI tools can write thousands of lines of code in seconds, big tech companies like Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and Intel are cutting jobs, and many new graduates are struggling to find work.
Now, Rensselaer County and technology leaders are looking for ways to close the gap in technology education.
NYSTEC President and CEO Kevin Owens says the answer may lie in exposing students to innovation early on.
“And these innovative technologies, obviously, are moving at the speed of light. I mean, AI, we’re talking about it every day. Next up is quantum. We’re going to continue to talk about it every day for years to come,” Owens said. “So I think it’s about exposing young people to these new technologies, because they’re the ones who are actually more likely to teach me how to use these technologies than what I’m reading on the internet or what I’m learning from my clients.”
Corey Jones of the Rensselaer County Capital Resources Corporation says the hands-on experience is what sets this initiative apart.
“And actually get real job training…on the job training,” Jones said. “And nothing like this is done in this country, so it’s a unique experience.”
That unique experience is happening right in downtown Troy. There, a group of educators, technology leaders and county officials are running a new pilot program for an emerging technology: quantum.
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics, examines the grainy and sometimes obscure behavior of the smallest particles that make up the universe. Think of it like a TV screen. If you zoom in far enough, you’ll see that it’s made up of tiny pixels. The quantum world works the same way. If we look closely at matter and energy, we find units that each have unique characteristics, and each plays a role in how the universe works at the most fundamental level.
Emily Obuya, workforce development director for the Quantum Pilot Program, said she hopes the effort will be more than just a one-time project.
“We hope that through this project we can come together to develop an infrastructure that can provide a mechanism for educators as well as industry players to continue working on this project,” Obuya said. “So I don’t want this to be a pilot project that you just do and quit. I want this to be a sustainable, ongoing model that can be used for the next industry.”
Ooya believes that introducing technology early in kindergarten, and even kindergarten, could be key. College students like Jermaine Mullings, who is currently studying at HVCC, say their early experiences made all the difference.
“If I could go back to one thing…it would be Lego. Lego is exactly what got me into creativity and ingenuity,” Mullins said.
His former vice principal, Laura Holmes of Redemption Christian Academy, said programs like this help students realize their potential in ways never before possible.
“We’re excited about this. This just shows that quantum computing is coming to this field,” Holmes said. “We know that technology and STEM and all these industries are coming to the Capital Region, and we really want our young people to take advantage of that.”
Corey Jones said the initiative represents an expanded partnership between education and business.
“So the CRC is here to fully support the Skill Rensselaer initiative with quantum,” he said. “This is great because it gives academia and real companies an opportunity to come here and create and provide training to students.”
In Part 2, 13 researchers explore why this pilot program is focused on quantum and how Rensselaer County is working to ensure students of all backgrounds have access to these advanced opportunities in middle and high school.
Related Articles: Troy STEM STEAM Skills Rensselaer Initiative Rensselaer County Redemption Christian Academy Quantum Mechanics quantum Hudson Valley Community College Closing the Technology Education Gap 13 Survey
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