Trends in Tech Education and Hiring of New College Graduates in Washington State: Initial Results and Next Steps
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| Title: | Trends in Tech Education and Hiring of New College Graduates in Washington State: Initial Results and Next Steps |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Michael B. Bragg, Debra D. Bragg, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges |
| Source: | Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. 2026. |
| Availability: | Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. P.O. Box 42495, Olympia, WA 98504-2495. Tel: 360-704-4400; Fax: 360-704-4415; Web site: http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 10 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Evaluative |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | College Graduates, Technology Education, Technology, Industry, Educational Trends, Partnerships in Education, Education Work Relationship, Government School Relationship, Employment Opportunities, Personnel Selection, Labor Market |
| Geographic Terms: | Washington |
| Abstract: | Changes in the "tech" economy have important implications for tech-related programs of study and the workforce. Washington is headquarters to the primary operations of Amazon, Boeing, Expedia, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Tableau, and other firms employing the graduates of community and technical colleges (CTCs), in addition to public and private universities. Between 2000 and 2021, Washington saw a 40% increase in science and engineering degrees, reflecting a higher growth rate than any state in the country and ranking Washington first in the share of workers in STEM occupations as a percentage of total state employment. At the present time, Seattle ranks second only to Silicon Valley on the density of regional tech talent in the nation. In regions of the country where tech employment dominates labor markets, it is important to understand how shifts in policies and programming affect tech education and hiring across the state. According to research from the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), intentional partnerships among state government, postsecondary education institutions, and employers have helped the state meet the burgeoning demand for tech talent. Washington has also operated as a magnet for tech talent from across the country, with Seattle ranked second among top talent markets in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and first in the nation for senior tech talent in AI. This brief is part of a series of new research reports on Washington's postsecondary tech education and hiring. The authors begin with a discussion of growth in postsecondary tech completions at the associate and bachelor's levels at CTCs and bachelor's completions at the public and private university level. They then discuss factors that may be contributing to changes in tech education, hiring, and employment in the state, drawing on academic literature, traditional media, and interviews with 11 individuals who have deep knowledge of tech education and hiring in the state. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED679744 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED679744 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED679744 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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Washington is headquarters to the primary operations of Amazon, Boeing, Expedia, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Tableau, and other firms employing the graduates of community and technical colleges (CTCs), in addition to public and private universities. Between 2000 and 2021, Washington saw a 40% increase in science and engineering degrees, reflecting a higher growth rate than any state in the country and ranking Washington first in the share of workers in STEM occupations as a percentage of total state employment. At the present time, Seattle ranks second only to Silicon Valley on the density of regional tech talent in the nation. In regions of the country where tech employment dominates labor markets, it is important to understand how shifts in policies and programming affect tech education and hiring across the state. According to research from the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), intentional partnerships among state government, postsecondary education institutions, and employers have helped the state meet the burgeoning demand for tech talent. Washington has also operated as a magnet for tech talent from across the country, with Seattle ranked second among top talent markets in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and first in the nation for senior tech talent in AI. This brief is part of a series of new research reports on Washington's postsecondary tech education and hiring. The authors begin with a discussion of growth in postsecondary tech completions at the associate and bachelor's levels at CTCs and bachelor's completions at the public and private university level. They then discuss factors that may be contributing to changes in tech education, hiring, and employment in the state, drawing on academic literature, traditional media, and interviews with 11 individuals who have deep knowledge of tech education and hiring in the state. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: ERIC – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED679744 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 10 Subjects: – SubjectFull: College Graduates Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Industry Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Trends Type: general – SubjectFull: Partnerships in Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Education Work Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Government School Relationship Type: general – SubjectFull: Employment Opportunities Type: general – SubjectFull: Personnel Selection Type: general – SubjectFull: Labor Market Type: general – SubjectFull: Washington Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Trends in Tech Education and Hiring of New College Graduates in Washington State: Initial Results and Next Steps Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Michael B. Bragg – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Debra D. Bragg IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 09 M: 02 Type: published Y: 2026 Titles: – TitleFull: Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Type: main |
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