Release date: April 2002

The preeminence of California's science and technology industries and the leading role our researchers play in technology innovation have helped create a state with tremendous economic diversity and strength. However, our own citizens are not being prepared in adequate numbers for the important, challenging, and well-paid science and technology jobs created in California. The Critical Path Analysis was conducted to determine why, and what can be done to address the situation.

This study, for the first time, analyzed the educational system as a whole, integrated, and inseparable system. The project goals were to:

• Develop a common set of baseline workforce indicators;
• Define and quantify the workforce gap by examining the current trends in supply and demand;
• Identify factors that influence the shortfall; and
• Suggest how to increase the supply of science and technology workers.

It was conducted under the guidance of an ad hoc CCST committee.

Recommendation highlights:

• Allocate additional resources to low-performing schools to strengthen the quality of teaching and increase educational/ career counseling, and the number of credentialed teachers in low-performing schools.
• Work to improve the quality of California's reading, science, mathematics, and technology teaching.
• Develop specific strategies to increase future consideration of S&T by underrepresented populations.
• Develop strategies to increase student access to effective academic and career counseling.

• Give greater priority to expansion of S&T enrollments and degrees in the allocation of incremental new state operating and capital budget funds.
• Increase the cooperation of community colleges with high schools.
• Increase transfer numbers in the S&T areas.

• Achieve targeted increases in the number of S&E degrees, and address the significant attrition rate in S&E enrollments, particularly at CSU.
• Develop more appropriate funding and budget allocation strategies for the S&E programs in the CSU and community colleges.
• Continue to expand higher education outreach, teacher education and professional development initiatives.

• Encourage more California students to pursue graduate degrees by offering more degree options and financial support.
• Increase graduate enrollment rates for students who entered university as community college transfers.
• Improve doctoral completion rates for underrepresented populations, especially Latinos.

• Assign a state entity to comprehensively analyze the continuing education system.
• Encourage industry to expand support for employee participation in continuing education.