Computer science education is no longer a luxury for the rich, super intelligent nerds and geeks. It’s a necessity for all Americans if we even want to compete and survive in this new and ever changing world.
That’s where The Computer Science for All Initiative comes in. President Barack Obama pledges $4 billion in funding to make computer science education a top priority. The money will be delivered over a three year period. This initiative comes with commitments from tech companies and leaders to increase computer science training and job preparation for underrepresented groups. During his State of the Union address,? President Obama emphasized how our economy was changing, and we need computer science to keep up. And statistics back him up on that claim. During this 2015-16 school year, only 28% of public schools offer CS courses like coding. Only 28 states allow CS courses to count toward high school graduation. And if things don’t change, then by 2020, there will be over one million computer technology jobs with no qualified Americans to fill them. I don’t mean to sound xenophobic or prejudice, but if our American youth can’t fill these jobs, guess who will?
I can already hear the naysayers. “Whose going to flip the four billion dollar bill?” “We’re in a $19 trillion deficit!” I understand the concern. That’s why I’m thankful for companies like Google, Facebook, Salesforce, and Qualcomm, and Apple stepping up and doing their part. Other corporations are giving generous grants as well. And don’t even get me started on the woeful lack of women and minorities in the tech field. That needs to be included in this initiative. I’ve seen stats on US kids’ rank in science compared to the rest of the industrialized world. It isn’t good. American jobs are on the line. American futures on the line. American souls are on the line here. Would you rather pay a few billion dollars now, or pay with mass unemployment and despair later?