Why Universities Are Struggling to Keep Up With Quantum Industry Demand

The quantum industry is growing rapidly. Investments in quantum computing, photonics, cryptography, and quantum networking are increasing globally with a predicted revenue of up to $97 billion by the year 2035. And we’re now seeing a trend in the industry where there’s a widening gap between industry demand and the supply of graduates. 

Universities are under increasing pressure to modernise curricula, expand research capacity, and produce job-ready talent. They’re just struggling to keep up with demand in the quantum industry. 

But the question is:

Why are universities struggling to keep up with the industry demand?

The quantum industry is growing faster than academia can adapt 

Government funding initiatives have accelerated worldwide, private sector investments from major tech companies have increased, and there’s quite a lot of growth in quantum startups. This rapid influx of players in the industry has, of course, affected demand. 

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, there is only one qualified candidate available for every three open quantum roles. Among the current workforce, there’s already a shortage of quantum engineers, PIC engineers, quantum software developers, and cryogenic hardware specialists, just to name a few. Basically, industry hiring is outpacing graduation rates.  

And we can’t really fault universities because they weren’t actually built for rapid technology cycles. Traditional academic structures tend to move at a slower pace. There are course approvals and accreditation delays. And typically, STEM programs face difficulty keeping up with updates.  

Quantum education requires multiple disciplines at once

Quantum roles are a blend of several technical fields. There are aspects of physics, computer science, mathematics, and photonics, among others. And in most cases, universities still teach these subjects separately. This creates a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration, and students could struggle to connect theory with real applications. Unfortunately, though, building cross-disciplinary programs is quite resource-intensive. This would create a need for shared departments, bring about faculty coordination challenges, and budget and administrative barriers would arise. 

Quantum research infrastructure is expensive

This is an obvious one, but quantum labs require specialised equipment. There are photonic labs, quantum processors, cleanrooms, and advanced testing environments. A harsh reality that universities are now facing is that they can’t afford large-scale quantum facilities. There are funding disparities between institutions, and smaller universities end up falling behind. 

Students at some point will require hands-on experience. Because employers are increasingly expecting practical exposure, and theory alone is no longer enough. 

Industry needs job-ready graduates faster than universities can produce them

Education in the quantum field takes years. According to MIT’s Department of Physics, a PhD could take anywhere from 5 to 7 years. There’s a deep theoretical foundation that’s required, and many roles require postgraduate qualifications. 

Unfortunately, companies are looking for immediate workforce solutions. Startups are scaling quickly, and there’s increasing pressure from investors and government contracts to get the ball rolling. 

So that’s why some employers are expanding their hiring beyond just traditional quantum degrees. They are recruiting talent from adjacent fields, such as photonics, AI, and advanced computing. And then they bring in upskilling and internal training programs, which are becoming more and more of a common offering. 

Universities are struggling to balance research and workforce development

Academic programs will often focus on research careers due to traditional PhD pipeline models, and there’s less focus on commercial applications. But the industry wants more practical engineering skills, like software development, hardware integration, manufacturing, and systems engineering. 

Now, this is exposing curriculum gaps that are becoming more and more visible. Employers are starting to notice mismatches in skills and finding that graduates need additional training after hiring.  

The global competition for quantum talent is intensifying 

Globally speaking, quantum jobs have risen significantly by 180% since 2024. Countries around the world are competing intensely for leadership in quantum technology. Some of the top contenders leading the pack are the US, China, and the UK. This is now causing a “brain drain,” which is affecting universities. Because top students and researchers are moving abroad, there’s more pressure being put on international recruitment. 

The universities in the smaller markets are now facing additional challenges. There’s limited funding, fewer industry partnerships, and difficulty retaining specialists. The pressure really is on for these institutions to remain in the race for quantum. 

How universities are trying to close the quantum skills gap 

Some are launching dedicated quantum degree programs that are either targeted to new graduates or postgraduates. And then they also offer quantum engineering specialisations. Others are looking into partnering with the industry. 

They’re tapping into internship pipelines, research collaborations, and sponsored labs. But it hasn’t stopped there. There’s this expansion into online and hybrid quantum learning opportunities. Remote labs have become a trend in the industry due to the massive and complex nature of the necessary equipment. Industry certifications and short-form upskilling programs have also been introduced into the mix. 

And in some cases, universities are trying to encourage interdisciplinary STEM education a bit earlier on by integrating quantum concepts into undergrad studies and course loads. This would inevitably encourage collaboration across multiple departments. 

What the future of quantum education could look like

If we’re looking toward the future of this industry, we can see that curriculum development models are going to hasten their adaptation with agile academic partnerships and industry-led course input. 

Quantum engineering pathways will become more applied. A greater focus will be placed on the commercial deployment of quantum, and education will become more workforce-oriented. But quantum education might not stay the same, aside from including more applications over and above the theory. 

Quantum education may become more mainstream and face a similar evolution to AI and cybersecurity. The good news is that this means accessibility for this particular sector will increase over time. 

Universities must evolve alongside the quantum industry

This industry is advancing faster than traditional academic systems can handle. The issue lies not in a lack of interest but in a lack of infrastructure, faculty, funding, and agility. More emphasis needs to be put on collaboration between universities, the government, and private industries. Solving the quantum talent shortage will depend heavily on how quickly education systems can adapt to real-world industry needs.