Washington State Competitiveness Council’s focus: higher-ed

Washington has more scientists and engineers per capita than any other state, but employers must import those highly educated workers because Washington is not producing enough of its own home-grown talent to meet demand.

By David Bowermaster
Seattle Times aerospace reporter

When Gov. Gary Locke convened the second generation of the Washington Competitiveness Council in Seattle yesterday, such statistics made it clear that improving the state’s higher-education system will be a dominant focus.

The 36-member group, which includes representatives of business, labor, education and government, will meet two more times to set priorities for the 2004 legislative session.

Upgrading the state’s transportation system topped the agenda for the first Competitiveness Council, which met five times in 2001. Higher education will get the spotlight this time.

Tom Alberg, managing director of Madrona Ventures Group, a technology investment firm, galvanized the discussion with research on Washington’s high-tech work force from the Technology Alliance.

Washington had 755 scientists and engineers for every 100,000 workers in 2000, more than any other state. But Washington ranked 34th in the granting of undergraduate science and engineering degrees, and 29th in the output of science and engineering Ph.Ds.

State funding of research and development was also low. Washington ranked 32nd in 1999 with a state R&D budget of $16.3 million.

"We all knew it was low," Alberg said, "but I don’t think anybody thought it was this low."

David Bowermaster: 206-464-2724 or [email protected]

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