Pumping STEAM
Opportunities to enrich computer science education
Phenomenal growth in Utah’s tech industry continues to garner national attention. But even with great benefits and opportunities, and some serious geek cred, companies in Utah are having a hard time filling thousands of vacancies.
“We have great universities and fantastic technology roots, but if we want to accommodate all the growth, we’re not keeping up,” says Sara Jones, co-founder of Women Technology Council (WTC). “Utah is really struggling to find technology talent.”
The seeds of a strong talent harvest are planted in elementary school—but most schools don’t offer a robust computer science curriculum. In fact, computer science courses are offered in only half of Utah high schools. With more than 41,000 AP exams taken in Utah last year, only 129 were for computer science, and only 12 of those computer science tests were taken by girls.
What if you’re a parent who wants to foster computer skills in your children? Or what if you want to broaden your own knowledge of computer science and coding—either to deepen your skill set or to switch careers? Utah is home to a variety of platforms available to help people find their tech niche....
