ABSTRACT
The greater-than-average growth in demand for knowledge workers has already resulted in widely publicized shortages of certain professionals. One study, for example, has found that 10 percent of all U.S. computer programmer/systems analyst positions and 17 percent of all computer engineer positions were vacant in 1998. The U.S. has seen cyclical shortages of nursing talent with a new shortage expected, and, while the overall number of physicians is adequate for the population, their distribution leaves many rural areas with insufficient healthcare coverage. Industries of all sorts are looking for increased technical skills in their workforces at the same time that many school districts are experiencing severe shortages of math, science, and technology teachers ....
