How Georgia Is Trying To Expand Computer Science Classes To Help Fill Jobs

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August 12th, 2019

Jovita Chang explains her group’s final project, “Save the Wave,” a video game that teaches users about pollution and climate change. Participants took part in a seven-week Girls Who Code program at AT&T and presented their final projects on graduation night. This is the kind of innovation Georgia is looking for, but it could be tough for these students to keep the momentum going when they return to school.

Chris Montgomery

As Georgia becomes more of a technology hub, it’s facing some big problems.

For one, the state isn’t producing nearly enough computer science graduates to fill available tech jobs. According to the Georgia Department of Education, there are close to 20,000 open computing jobs in the state, but just 1,200 students graduate from Georgia colleges each year with computer science degrees.

Historically, Georgia’s K-12 public schools have offered computer science as an elective. Some schools offer Advanced Placement computer science courses. The state has nine different technology pathways students can choose, but they’re not available in every school or even every district.

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