World’s Richest Man Urges Blacks to Become Technology Professionals

            (Taylor Media Services) Apparently prompted by a recent study showing that less than 10 percent of the graduates of computer science programs are Black, Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates last week urged African Americans to become computer technology professionals. Gates, the world’s richest man, was speaking last Friday at a conference sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington. 

The study prompting Gates’ comments was released by the National Science Foundation. It showed that fewer than 6,000 of the 52,500 computer science graduates in the United States in 2004 were Black. Gates said the nation is facing a shortage of technology professionals explaining, “The United States is not turning out from any group as many of the great engineers as there will be jobs for.” He added, “Blacks are particularly underrepresented in the tech industry.” 

            The Black engineers group named Microsoft the top employer for Black engineers. Meanwhile, Gates said Microsoft would partner with NSBE to enable it to hire and promote more Black engineers.