Governor proposes program to train more engineers

Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed an education initiative that is intended to boost the number of California-trained engineers during the next decade by building new partnerships with schools, the military and businesses. The goal of the Engineer Initiative is to bring 20,000 to 24,000 new engineers into the state’s workforce. There are currently too few graduates to meet the demand for civil, electronics, mechanical, aerospace and industrial industries, according to the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency. The proposal would establish a program with the California State University and University of California systems that would speed certification of veterans with engineering backgrounds, sending them more quickly into open jobs. It also would send $1 million in federal funds into an apprenticeship program for community college students, expand K-12 charter school high-tech engineering preparation programs and launch the Engineering Education Council, which is designed to attract private funds to help guide math and science students into engineering programs at colleges and universities.