Washington state is widely considered one of the top tech cities in the country. Still, companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and Google frequently hire talent from outside the state. Currently, Washington state lacks the qualified talent to fill these high-demand jobs.  

This is especially true for computer science, where we see a significant talent gap in Washington state. One of the main issues is the lack of opportunity, support and resources for students wanting to study computer science. 

Exclusive computer science acceptance rates 

The acceptance rate into competitive computer science programs, alongside the lower persistence rate of STEM students, is expanding the talent gap in Washington state. Fewer than 40% of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete college with a STEM degree.  

The UW’s Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering was listed as 7,587 first-year students’ top choice major, highlighting the incredible interest in computer science degrees. Interest in the Allen school has increased by over 400% in the last ten years, but the school doesn’t have the capacity to serve all interested students. The Allen School only accepts about 550 students every year, excluding over 7,000 students.  

An increased acceptance rate would significantly impact the talent gap because most computer science students stay in Washington state. Almost 90% of Allen graduates find work in Washington state after graduation.   

“It is not acceptable when only the most academically elite Washington student can gain admission to a computer science program that can prepare them for a great job,” said state Rep. Drew Hansen, former chair of the House Higher Education Committee. 

WSOS has been working on increasing access to computer science degrees since its inception. In 2016, WSOS provided a grant to Western Washington University and Central Washington University through the Opportunity Expansion Fund to increase high-demand degree capacity at Washington colleges and universities. 

Recently, changes in legislation have worked to combat the lack of opportunity for Washington students in computer science. WSOS’ legislative team supported a Washington state Senate bill that would allow community and technical colleges to offer a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Changes in legislation also created a partnership between WSOS, Amazon and Seattle Colleges, directed toward supporting students pursuing a computer science degree at community colleges.  

Laura McDowell from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges says the new legislation is “about filling more than employers’ needs; it’s broadening access to jobs, it’s equity.” 

Allowing community colleges to provide bachelor’s degrees in computer science will allow more pathways for Washington students and help close the computer science talent gap in Washington state.  

Internships and barriers for students 

One of the best ways to find a job quickly after graduation is to get hands-on experience in the industry by completing internships at local tech companies. Many systemic barriers are in place for students who have to work to afford school supplies, tuition, food, childcare, etc., making internships, free or paid, difficult. WSOS offers a flexible funding model to Opportunity Scholars, which allows them to use their scholarship funds for costs beyond tuition dollars. This lessens the financial burden for Scholars, allowing them to pursue their future careers with one less barrier. 

And WSOS is significantly impacting Washington students interested in computer science. Computer science and IT are among the top careers that WSOS prepares students for. Over 700 computer science graduates have already come from our Baccalaureate (BaS) program, and one-fifth of our current Career and Technical Scholarship (CTS) recipients are in IT programs. 

Rural students 

Since many of the best tech companies are located near the Seattle area, internship opportunities at top tech companies are scarce. And since many of these companies, including Google and Facebook, recruit future employees through internship programs like the UW Industry Affiliates Program, it can be difficult for those who do not have access to built-in internship and career development programs to find the same opportunities.  

“Not every person is able to move far from their hometown to get a degree, and this is an important measure to create more opportunities for more residents in our state. This is a great step towards equal access to education for everyone, everywhere in our state.” -Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-West Seattle) 

The Baccalaureate Scholarship and the Career and Technical Scholarship at WSOS offer Opportunity Scholars the option of working and learning alongside a professional mentor while working toward their credentials. Mentors work alongside Scholars to help them build the necessary skills to apply and interview for jobs, network and transition into their career. Opportunity Scholars are also given priority access to Industry Insider internships through WSOS. Mentorship and priority access to internships throughout the state brings opportunities to all Washington Opportunity Scholars.  

STEM and equity 

Washington state has no shortage of talented students that would thrive in the high-demand, high-wage computer science field. Yet, they are not given the opportunity, support and resources to succeed. A study by the EAB states that bias and discrimination against Black and Latinx students and inequitably distributed resources can be attributed to the lack of diversity in STEM fields.  

Black and Latinx tech workers are still underrepresented in STEM fields. Pew Research Center data shows that Latinx STEM employees make up only 8% of employed workers but 17% of total employment across all occupations. Black STEM employees comprise just 9% of STEM workers and 11% of employed adults. And Black and Latinx tech students who also identify as women or nonbinary only make up a “small share of degree earners in fields like engineering and computer science.” 

WSOS recognizes the educational and socio-economic inequalities that exist throughout Washington state. We acknowledge that systemic barriers, institutional racism and poverty exist—disproportionally affecting historically excluded communities. WSOS works to serve communities that have been historically excluded, and we are gaining real traction on addressing the systemic inequities that have not only led to a gender gap but also the racial disparity in the STEM workforce.  

56% of Opportunity Scholars identify as women, 72% as students of color, and 71% as first-generation college students. Opportunity Scholars are persisting and entering the Washington state workforce faster than their peers. According to a state audit, Opportunity Scholars are twice as likely to graduate in four years compared to other scholars. 

WSOS Outcomes and Impact 

• Baccalaureate Scholars earn two times what their families made when they entered college, just five years after graduation.  

• Career and Technical Scholars are twice as likely to earn a credential as their peers and typically earn three times what their family made when they entered college within one year of graduating.   

TL;DR 

Washington state has a large talent gap in the computer science industry. Students are interested in the field, but the low acceptance rate into top computer science majors and financial, geographic and equity issues make a computer science career almost impossible for many Washington students. 

Along with providing flexible scholarship funding, professional mentorship and priority access to internships, WSOS has: 

• Supported the 2021 Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Nguyen that authorized community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees in computer science. 
• Partnered with Amazon and Seattle Colleges to support students pursuing Computer science degrees at community colleges.  
• Provided a grant to Western Washington University and Central Washington University to increase high-demand degree capacity at Washington colleges and universities.