2008 News Releases

Innovation in Danger: Not Enough Students Pursuing Engineering Careers

Thought Leaders from IEEE Discuss Current Issues in Education, from Engaging Our Nation’s Youth to Encouraging, Attracting and Retaining Engineering Talent

28 October – The trend is alarming, and it’s global. In Western Europe, Australia, Japan and even in India, the numbers of students attracted to engineering and computer science are declining. For example, a 2003 Harris poll conducted in the U.S. shows that only two percent of first year university students (and less than one percent of young women) want to major in computer science.

The IEEE is a driving force behind changing the perception of math and science-based careers. These low numbers raise concerns among leaders of industry and policy makers who believe that a large and well educated engineering workforce is essential to public welfare and technological progress. Indeed, the decline in engineering student numbers threatens the operation and growth of a large number of organizations and corporations around the globe. The focus of these organizations ranges from research and development and healthcare to manufacturing and advanced computing. Read the full press release. (PDF, 151 KB)