Computing Community Consortium Blog

The goal of the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) is to catalyze the computing research community to debate longer range, more audacious research challenges; to build consensus around research visions; to evolve the most promising visions toward clearly defined initiatives; and to work with the funding organizations to move challenges and visions toward funding initiatives. The purpose of this blog is to provide a more immediate, online mechanism for dissemination of visioning concepts and community discussion/debate about them.


Where the jobs are …

January 4th, 2010 / in pipeline, resources, Uncategorized / by Ed Lazowska

Every second year, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a ten-year forecast of job growth in all fields of employment.  The most recent forecast, released in November 2009 and covering the period 2008-2018, may be found here (pdf).  Among the highlights:

  • Among the 10 major BLS occupational groups, the “Professional and related” category (which includes computer science occupations) is projected to grow by the largest percentage between now and 2018 — by 16.8%.  (The average growth projected across all occupations is 10.1%.)
  • Focusing in on the “Professional and related” occupations, of the 8 occupational clusters that are included, “Computer and mathematical” occupations are projected to grow by the largest percentage between now and 2018 — by 22.2%.  In other words, “Computer and mathematical” occupations are the fastest growing occupational cluster within the fastest growing major occupational group.
  • Looking at all science and engineering occupations — “Computer and mathematical,” “Architecture and engineering,” and “Life, physical, and social science” — computer science occupations are projected to be responsible for nearly 60% of all job growth between now and 2018.  The next largest contributor — all fields of Engineering combined — is projected to contribute 13.4% of total growth.  All of the life sciences combined:  5.6%.  All of the physical sciences combined:  3.1%.  In other words, among all occupations in all fields of science and engineering, computer science occupations are projected to account for nearly 60% of all job growth between now and 2018.
Where the jobs are …

18 comments

  1. Is there any indication of how accurate these BLS predictions have been? Does the category include all IT or just those with CS (BS/BA, MS, PhD) degrees?

  2. emirielli says:

    While in the realm of possibilities, this report is much too generic. There are major differences between computer and mathematical occupations. As is pointed out below, there’s major distinctions between CS and IT occupations. Previous BLS report have indicated that the growth is in IT related occupations. It’s too bad that such generalizations have to be made at the expense of the necessary specifics.

  3. edlazowska says:

    For detailed information, see pages 101-102 of the BLS report, linked in the original post.

  4. guestsix says:

    They mix/confuse CS and IT. The bulk of the growth is IT trade jobs (sys admin, network config, etc) not in CS aka Computer Science.

  5. milicab says:

    How about outsourcing?

    That’s why I am wondering if the jobs will be IT (because they require on-site presence). CS jobs are programming, which can easily be outsourced.

  6. IT jobs will soon be more in demand because we are in a computer era nowadays. so in the near future more improvements will be implemented and more automations will be applied. like in dubai nowadays technology there runs rapidly like any other progressive place in the world.

  7. I was reading somewhere that Graphic Design is the fastest growing job market. I guess it falls under “Computer Occupations”

  8. formula 21 says:

    That’s why I am wondering if the jobs will be IT (because they require on-site presence). CS jobs are programming, which can easily be outsourced.

  9. JonsonKidy says:

    Hey buddy nice post
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