The Puget Sound Business Journal posted an article this week in which Microsoft President Brad Smith, a vocal proponent of expanding access to computer science education, reiterated his call for a significant expansion of UW CSE as the leading generator of computing talent in the state.
From the article:
“As Microsoft expands outside the country to mitigate the lack of engineering talent in the Puget Sound region, local technology industry leaders renew a call for investments in the next generation of local computer science graduates.
“‘It’s important for Puget Sound to continue to strengthen our own ability to develop more talent,’…Smith recently told the Puget Sound Business Journal. ‘We need to get more computer science into schools here in Washington state, including the University of Washington, which is a world leader. It’s so important to build a second UW computer science building.'”
The article points out that local technology companies are “talent-starved” due to a lack of qualified graduates and quotes UW CSE professor Ed Lazowska on the need to expand capacity to meet the explosive demand from employers and students.
“This will consolidate us as one of the preeminent programs in the country,” Lazowska said. “The tragedy is, most applicants don’t get in. These are terrific kids from Washington state who could graduate here, stay here and power our economy.”
Read the full article here. Learn more about the Campaign for UW CSE here.