Sat, Jun 28, 2008 (2:07 a.m.)

As thousands of Baby Boomers prepare to retire from computer technology jobs, fewer college students are choosing to pursue computer-related fields, creating what experts say is a “perfect storm” in which American tech workers may soon be in short supply.

Information technology workers are found in virtually every business, large and small. They are the ones responsible for designing, developing, installing and maintaining the computer systems that allow companies to collect, sort, process, protect and transmit information.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in 2016, one of every 19 jobs created since 2006 will have been in computer information technology. About 1.6 million such job openings are expected over that 10-year period, with 854,000 of them new positions.

The Associated Press reports that an annual survey by the Computing Research Association shows a 20 percent decrease this year in the number of students earning bachelor’s degrees in computer-related fields. Enrollment in undergraduate computer science programs is more than 50 percent lower than it was five years ago, the AP reports.

Experts say they believe misconceptions about technology workers — including the “computer geek” syndrome — are one reason students, especially girls, shy away from pursuing technology careers.

Another reason, they say, could be that U.S. students don’t take enough math. Lou Gellos, spokesman for Microsoft Corp., said the math required in high school “is not going to cut it” for today’s students.

Still, even if students were signing up for computer classes in droves, there is no guarantee that universities have enough facilities and computer laboratories to teach them, the AP reports.

If the United States is going to continue being a driving force in information technology, it must make certain it has a workforce trained to do the job. This means not only improving math instruction at all grade levels but also making sure students who want to pursue a career in computer science have access to programs and universities that can teach them.