Although quantum technology is still largely at the experimental and pilot stage, the field is moving quickly and will require both a specialized workforce and training that allows a wider range of employees to understand and use it. Careers in quantum science and technology can come from a variety of educational backgrounds.
Why It Matters
Quantum technology faces a severe talent shortage — an estimated 50% shortfall. It will take a varied workforce, including high-level researchers, engineers and computer scientists, to help translate the technology to make the leap to more widespread use.
Beyond experts, though, it’s also time to raise quantum awareness among the rest of the population. As with the more general tech-worker shortage, this will require upskilling and educating people in adjacent fields, building talent pipelines and broadening hiring criteria.
What’s New
University quantum hubs and regional innovation centers nationwide are stepping up to produce the next generation of quantum scientists and researchers and increasing access to quantum tools for student use.
But when quantum visionaries talk about education, they don’t just mean at the Ph.D. level. The National Q-12 Education Partnership, launched in 2020 by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and NSF, promotes quantum education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s distributing teaching materials that introduce quantum concepts in math and science classes, making use of available programs from professional societies such as the American Physical Society’s PhysicsQuest kits for middle school classrooms and Optica’s Optics for Kids. The partnership also is creating a community of K-12 educators to share ideas about teaching quantum through conferences and online forums.
Another organization, Quantum for All, helps K-12 teachers and students understand quantum mechanics and how the field relates to current and future jobs, hosting quantum camps for students in grades 9 through 12 and workshops for teachers.
This article appears in our guide, “Quantum Computing: What You Need to Know Today.” To learn more about this important technology, download it here:
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