With a shortage of skilled workers in information and computer technologies, the University of Calgary is hoping to reverse the trend.
As part of Computer Science Education Week, it’s giving tours of its high tech labs to young Calgary-area students, hoping to encourage them to enter the field.
“There’s going to be thousands of jobs available in the coming years,” says computer science professor Mea Wang. “That demand is definitely higher then what we can graduate right now.”
On Tuesday, Grade 9 students from Airdrie crowded into the university’s Lindsay Virtual Human Lab, where computer scientists are developing interactive tools for use in medical education.
In another lab, students learned how computer applications are being developed on multi-touch screens for use in oil and gas exploration.
It was an eye-opening experience for many of the students.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Danielle Masiglat. “I didn’t know you could do all that stuff with computers. I only know about programming and gaming. I didn’t know you could go into medicine.”
“Some of that stuff was sort of different,” said Will Nevada. “I didn’t know you could use them for human biology and stuff.”
More than 100 junior and senior high school students are taking part in this week’s tours.
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