Ramp Up IT Programs | News, Sports, Jobs

Though the computer age swallowed us long ago, Ohio has been slow to catch up on educating those who will fill the jobs created by that technological explosion. According to the State Committee on Computer Science, the Buckeye State ranked 37th in the nation in 2019 for producing computer science graduates as a percentage of total college graduates.

A report by the Dayton Daily News points out that ranking is nothing new. Between 2014 and 2019, Ohio saw only a 9.5% increase in such graduates, placing us 44th in the nation.

But the committee aims to change that — hoping to make Ohio a leader in computer science education, and fill the demand for those educated to fill such jobs.

“We’re seeing increased demand in this industry in our current labor market and by 2030, we’re predicting double digit growth for occupations ranging from software developers to IT security analysts,” Stephanie Keinath, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, told the Dayton Daily News.

Because there is so much catching up to do, the committee is open to ideas for closing the gap. They accepted input from the public and are set to share the results Dec. 15.

Whatever ideas are presented, they must be accompanied by action. Ohio’s economy is evolving. It is far past time our educational opportunities evolved with it. Surely the committee will act quickly to make that happen.