Quantum workforce roadmap outlines economy’s next big thing

A new roadmap developed by partners across Colorado and the Mountain West lays out a plan to build a diverse and inclusive workforce that matches the upcoming demands of the quantum industry.

The University of Colorado Boulder led development of the workforce roadmap along with various educational institutions, including Colorado State University, government agencies, and quantum-focused companies in the region. The report was funded by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. It calls for more resources for K-12 teachers and community colleges to help prepare students for work in the field. It also outlines steps needed to develop pathways for groups historically underrepresented in physics to join the quantum industry.

At CSU, faculty, staff and students lead research efforts in quantum metrology, quantum communications, and quantum materials every day. To support future workforce needs, the report outlines steps the university is taking to create undergraduate degree concentrations in four departments, including physics, chemistry, computer science, and electrical and computer engineering. While these concentrations will be tailored within each department, there will also be in-common courses including introductory courses housed in the Department of Physics and an "Advanced Quantum Information Science" laboratory course that will be run as a collaborative effort among the four departments.

The workforce roadmap is part of recent activity designating Elevate Quantum as an official Tech Hub by the U.S. Economic Development Administration in 2023. Elevate Quantum is a coalition of 120 organizations in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. Since that designation, the coalition has secured more than $120 million in funding to grow the quantum industry in the Mountain West.