Congressman Will Hurd For the Express-News
In Texas an estimated 42000 computing jobs are waiting to be filled. In 2015 2000 computer scientists graduated in Texas. You do not have to be a math major to see this is a problem.
As a computer science graduate of Texas A&M University I wish more kids were going into my field of study. As a congressman who represents San Antonio which has the most cybersecurity professionals outside the national capital region I see the growing need for a workforce with strong coding and analytical skills. And as the elected representative of an economically disadvantaged region I want parents and students to be aware of the benefits that computing jobs provide. The average salary of a computer science professional is more than $85000 almost twice the average salary in Texas.
Too few Texas high schools offer Advanced Placement computer science. In the 2014-15 school year only 298 schools offered the class (only 17 percent of the Texas schools that offer AP programs). At the middle-school level only a handful of schools offer coding classes.
Coding for this generation will be as important as typing classes were for my generation. If you are not proficient you will be left behind.
Read the rest of this opinion editorial at the Express News.
