Report: Computer degrees losing appeal

[NightStorm]

And people told me I was nuts for starting to work towards a computer degree, since everyone else in the World was working on that too...
Fools.
[url=\"http://money.cnn.com/2005/05/23/technology/computer_major/index.htm?cnn=yes\"]SOURCE[/url]

[size=14]Report: Computer degrees losing appeal[/size]
[size=5][color=\"gray\"]Enrollment in computer science programs continues to decline, fueling fears of tech worker shortage.[/size][/color]
[color=\"gray\"][size=1]May 23, 2005: 9:29 AM EDT[/size][/color]

[b]NEW YORK (CNN/Money)[/b] - The number of undergraduates signing up for computer degrees continues to decline, fueling concerns among tech companies that there won't be enough skilled workers to meet demand, according to Monday's USA Today.

New enrollment in computer science and engineering programs has dropped four years in a row, the newspaper said, citing the Computing Research Association, a trade group for computer professors.

"Students are responding to the alarming rate that the job market changed (during the dot-com bust)," Ohio State University computer professor Stuart Zweben told the newspaper.

Although shortages haven't become a problem yet, the pool of trained tech workers could become problematic in a few years if the number of computer graduates declines while the tech industry grows. For now, numbers are still strong, with more than 20,000 computer bachelor's degrees awarded to North American students in the 2003-'04 school year, the CRA said.

IBM is planning to give schools millions of dollars in software and offer the expertise of more than 1,000 staffers as part of a widespread college-support program, the newspaper said.

The computer company will also announce a partnership with the University of Arkansas to create classes for students seeking tech jobs at Wal-Mart. According to USA Today, the program will be part of the university's information-systems major, which is under the business school's jurisdiction. "You need a marriage of technical skills and business acumen," Buell Duncan, the IBM executive in charge of the program, told the newspaper.

[Scott]

This is an interesting point, something which will be pretty important in the coming months as I choose my uni path. I had always considered Computing Science to be one of the possible degrees to apply for, but recently I've been advised by a few people that it isn't always the best option. The people making these suggestions are themselves Comp science graduates who are basically telling me that it is a waste of time. If I apply for another degree (something else I like, probably chemistry of one form), I'd not only enjoy the course more, the possibility of going into the IT industry is still available...with the possible exception of the complicated architecture.

Still mulling over my options, a lot depends on what I get for the exams i'm sitting at the moment.

[Adrasteia]

i graduated 2.1 with a bachelor of science in information technology
i loved taking my uni course (although uni was more about growing up in the end) and while the course was very inspirational, there just werent any jobs for me out there after i graduated.
my course focused more on being the person between the computer company with all the hardware and software, and the business who's looking for the full works - from fiber optics, internet connection, to hardware and software - even training and how to introduce new ideas and change to a company more smoothly.
but, all the computing jobs out there required knowledge of programming languages, being able to create and manage a database and more helpdesk skills....none of which my course offered. i'd say if you do a computing course, make sure it offers the skills companies want....you may have them anyway, but that bit of paper sure helps.
nem