Quantum Awareness for Post-Secondary Students

Quantum Information Science is a new and growing field. Significant growth in the quantum workforce has been called for by some in the quantum industry. Supporting this growth will require engaging the best and brightest. However, most students do not know what quantum information science entails or what jobs are available. We present a workshop model that we have developed to build quantum awareness among post-secondary students. These workshops have been effective in raising awareness and increasing interest in the field among students at a range of educational levels, including community college, undergraduate, and graduate students. All of the students who attended these workshops attended minority serving institutions, and most attended historically black colleges and universities. These workshops are only a first step towards building the quantum workforce. We still need to define pathways that allow students to take the next steps toward entering the workforce if they are interested in pursuing the field after one of these workshops.