Industry Perspectives on Projected Quantum Workforce Needs
Shams El-Adawy, A. R. Piña, Benjamin M. Zwickl, H. J. Lewandowski
TL;DR
Industry managers project a growing quantum workforce that spans education levels from bachelor to PhD as QISE scales from lab to deployment. Our approach uses 34 interviews with managers across 17 companies and thematic analysis to forecast five-year trends in educational requirements and job roles. Findings indicate that PhD-level expertise will continue to drive innovation, but there will be increasing demand for bachelor/master-level professionals to support manufacturing and deployment, alongside technicians. The work underscores the need for educators to build broad, application-oriented curricula and cross-domain training, and calls for coordinated efforts among industry, academia, and policymakers to create a scalable QISE workforce.
Abstract
As more physics educators are developing courses and programs to prepare students for careers in quantum information science, understanding the quantum industry's future workforce needs has become increasingly important. As part of ongoing efforts to understand the knowledge and skills needed for various job roles, we interviewed quantum industry professionals in managerial positions about workforce needs. Through thematic analysis, we identify two broad themes about projected needs. First, managers anticipate a need for a range of educational levels from bachelors to PhDs in physics, engineering, and computer science to fill the needs of roles spanning manufacturing to innovation. Second, managers anticipate an increased need for individuals who can apply quantum information science knowledge across fields. These results provide insights for physics educators about course and program development: continued investment in quantum information science education at all levels is valuable, and greater emphasis should be placed on applications of quantum science.