Education for expanding the quantum workforce: Student perceptions of the quantum industry in an upper-division physics capstone course

Abstract: As quantum technologies transition out of the research lab and into commercial applications, it becomes important to better prepare students to enter this new and evolving workforce. To work towards this goal of preparing physics students for a career in the quantum industry, a senior capstone course called "Quantum Forge" was created at the University of Colorado Boulder. This course aims to provide students a hands-on quantum experience and prepare them to enter the quantum workforce directly after their undergraduate studies. Some of the course's goals are to have students understand what comprises the quantum industry and have them feel confident they could enter the industry if desired. To understand to what extent these goals are achieved, we followed the first cohort of Quantum Forge students through their year in the course in order to understand their perceptions of the quantum industry including what it is, whether they feel that they could be successful in it, and whether or not they want to participate in it. The results of this work can assist educators in optimizing the design of future quantum-industry-focused courses and programs to better prepare students to be a part of this burgeoning industry.