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Building the ‘Quantum Prairie’: New Unified Strategy Aims to Scale Midwest Quantum Workforce for 191,000 Projected Jobs

Chicago Quantum Exchange CQE

In its detailed study “Advancing Together: A Unified Strategy for Scaling Midwest Quantum Talent,” the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) recommends making Illinois-Wisconsin-Indiana a global quantum technology employment hub. The tri-state area may create 191,000 quantum jobs by 2035 as it prepares for a significant economic change.

Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the report emphasizes a pivotal moment for the Midwest. The “Quantum Prairie” seeks to establish the global benchmark for the development of innovation-driven talent pipelines by utilizing an existing research ecosystem that comprises four federally supported quantum research institutions and dozens of top universities.

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Democratizing the Quantum Economy

The based on an examination by the Boston Consulting Group for the CQE, contains one of the most startling conclusions: those with exceptional academic qualifications won’t be the only ones to benefit from the quantum future. Even though the area already produces over 2,000 PhDs and 14,000 master’s students each year in quantum-related subjects, a larger workforce will be able to fill the great majority of future positions.

Over 70% of the anticipated 191,000 positions will be open to people without graduate degrees, according to the data. Additionally, those with associate degrees or specific technical training will be eligible for almost one-third of these roles.

David Awschalom, the founding director of the CQE and the Liew Family Professor of Quantum Engineering and Physics at the University of Chicago, stated, “We know that talent is the fuel of a robust, sustainable ecosystem and that smart, curious learners are everywhere.” “The responsibility is to make sure that everyone has a chance at these lucrative positions and that a region collaborates to prepare them to be part of the expanding quantum economy.”

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Five Pillars of the Unified Strategy

To establish a smooth talent pipeline from the classroom to the lab and the factory floor, the “Advancing Together” plan emphasizes five key priorities:

• Awareness: To encourage early interest in the area, expand quantum learning into K–12 schools and improve teacher preparation.
• Preparation: Expanding students’ access to practical research and internship opportunities.
• Mobility: Creating official transfer and apprenticeship programs throughout the varied network of schools and universities in the area.
• Employer Leadership: Establishing a cooperative network to manage hiring and match skill development with industry demands is an example of employer leadership.
• Coordination: Creating regional alliances and shared data systems to guarantee that plans and investments are in line.

Without this degree of collaboration, the Midwest runs the risk of underutilizing its most important resource, according to Emily Easton, director of education and workforce development at the CQE. According to Easton, “this plan brings together key players to ensure they are using efficiently and reaching the full breadth of quantum talent across the Quantum Prairie.”

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A Focus on Training and Apprenticeships

The approach emphasizes hands-on training and calls for a coordinated apprenticeship support structure. This includes training mentorship, pre-apprenticeship preparatory programs, and possibilities for clear post-apprenticeship progression.

Employers frequently emphasize the requirement for practical experience in addition to formal education, as noted by Easton. She stated that “apprenticeships are an especially promising pathway with strong potential to build out the quantum workforce,” implying that these opportunities may be established in the quantum industry by imitating models from related technical sectors.

The creation of a Quantum Teaching Center of Excellence to coordinate teacher preparation and a shared-access structure that would enable students at institutions without costly quantum equipment to get practical training are among the report’s specific proposals.

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Early Momentum and Existing Programs

The approach expands on a base of current initiatives that are currently producing outcomes throughout the Midwest:

• One of the first PhD programs in quantum science in the country was started at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison created the “Wonders of Quantum Physics” program for experiential learning and the first master’s degree in quantum computing.
• The Engineering Pathways program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign facilitates access to highly sought-after engineering degrees.
• The Roberts Impact Lab is being developed by Purdue University Northwest to offer specialized training to adult learners and students.
• Undergraduate students can apply for research fellowships through the CQE’s Open Quantum Initiative.

The Path to Federal Investment

The path is clear, obtaining additional federal financing is crucial to its complete implementation. The Quantum Connected project and the CQE-led Bloch Quantum Tech Hub are presently vying for substantial financing from the NSF and the Economic Development Administration, respectively.

These initiatives seek to provide the country with quantum-enabled information security and establish a domestic quantum supply chain. The significance of this event was emphasized by CQE CEO Kate Timmerman, who said, “We have the plan, the partners, and infrastructure what we need now is federal funding.” Timmerman claims that federal funding will enable the area to build on early-stage momentum and establish itself as a worldwide renowned “discovery-to-deployment” ecosystem.

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Next Steps

The report’s publication signifies the start of a more extensive implementation phase. To make sure the area stays on course to fulfill the demands of the 2035 quantum job market, the CQE intends to conduct extensive stakeholder engagement, establish regular progress reporting, and start new cooperative projects.

The “Advancing Together” approach is a call to action for educators, business executives, and legislators to come together in creating a sustainable and inclusive technology frontier as the “Quantum Prairie” looks to the future.

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