RAND Europe: Quantum’s Future Workforce Needs More Than Physicists

Insider Brief

• A new RAND Europe report warns that overreliance on PhD-level physicists is limiting the growth of the quantum workforce and slowing commercial progress.
• The study calls for expanded talent pathways, including technical and non-technical roles, flexible training models, and local ecosystem development.
• RAND recommends coordinated action across sectors to build a more inclusive, resilient, and future-ready quantum workforce.

On a day and during a year that is meant to promote the awareness of quantum technologies, RAND Europe reports that the quantum industry is facing a workforce crisis — and it won’t be solved by PhDs alone.

In a new RAND Europe report, analysts warn that limiting talent pipelines to theoretical physicists and postdoctoral researchers is holding back the development and deployment of quantum technologies. As governments pour money into quantum strategies and companies race to build commercial applications, experts say a broader, more diverse talent pool is needed to turn potential into real-world products.

“We find that the global quantum technology ecosystem is becoming increasingly diverse, integrating various expertise and disciplines, yet faces challenges to the availability and distribution of necessary skills.” the analysts write.

Published by RAND Europe in collaboration with the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the study summarizes a 2024 roundtable held in Copenhagen and outlines eight policy recommendations for building a future-ready quantum workforce. The researchers argue that the traditional model — centering on elite, PhD-trained physicists — can’t keep pace with industry demand. Instead, the report calls for a more inclusive approach that values hands-on skills, complementary engineering backgrounds, and even humanities training.

Quantum Expansion Outpacing Talent Availability

The global quantum workforce remains small and highly specialized, often clustered around academic labs or corporate research teams. As a result, companies are struggling to hire.

“The rapid expansion of quantum technology companies across the globe is outpacing the influx of researchers and engineers,” analysts report.

Demand is especially high for technical roles involving engineering, high-performance computing and software development. But the sector also needs professionals from fields such as finance, logistics, and life sciences, areas where quantum applications are likely to first take hold. The study notes that individuals with diverse educational backgrounds and training can also pursue careers in quantum technology, even if they lack deep physics knowledge.

That flexibility is rarely reflected in hiring practices or workforce development programs. Most funding and education still target doctoral-level quantum researchers. RAND Europe warns that this narrow focus risks leaving key roles unfilled — and may ultimately stall progress on bringing quantum technologies to market.

Some companies are hesitant to invest in junior talent or reskilling initiatives.

“Participants emphasised that the benefits of such investment may not yield immediate returns for companies, exacerbated by the widely acknowledged observation that ‘a quantum future remains far away,” the analysts report.

This hesitance is compounded by uncertainty over quantum’s commercial timeline. With useful, fault-tolerant quantum computers still years away, the industry remains stuck between technical hype and practical inaction.

Essential to Long-Term Growth

Still, the authors argue that expanding the workforce is essential for long-term growth, noting: “developing a strong skills pipeline will require ‘patience’ and long-term commitment from key stakeholders (including government and industry) to ‘stay the course’, acknowledging the time required to cultivate relevant and sufficient expertise and innovations that could help shape future quantum capabilities.” 

One solution is to break the field out of its academic silo. The study highlights the importance of building regional and local ecosystems what RAND refers to as “quantum localism.” These tech hubs can help create hands-on jobs in quantum hardware, chip production and data center support. They also offer an entry point for people without advanced degrees, including technicians and vocationally trained workers.

The researchers write: “Localised efforts can help ensure that the benefits of advances in quantum technology are distributed across different communities,  as well as being aligned with regional economic priorities and opportunities. Furthermore, any local or regional innovation quantum technology ‘hubs’ that develop could, over time, also function as magnets attracting international talent.”

The report calls for investment in local infrastructure, training programs aligned with regional industries, and community outreach to raise awareness of quantum career opportunities.

Beyond Geography

This focus on inclusion extends beyond geography. RAND Europe also urges the industry to expand its definition of who belongs in quantum—and why. That includes professionals with legal, ethical, and social science expertise. As the technologies become more powerful, managing their risks and societal impacts will require collaboration between engineers and policy thinkers.

According to the report: “Several participants recognised the importance of quantum scientists and technical experts ‘building bridges’ with experts in social sciences, arts and humanities as well as with policymakers (and vice versa), especially considering the potential long-term and far-reaching societal impacts of quantum technology. These experts can offer valuable insights into the ethical, legal, societal and policy implications of quantum advancements, ensuring that technologies and applications are developed in alignment with societal values and needs, and could, for example, play key roles in government, academia or industry.”

These individuals could help, for example, craft governance frameworks, evaluate ethical tradeoffs and ensure that quantum technologies are deployed in ways that benefit society.

The RAND study points to an emerging trend known as “public interest quantum,” where technologies are developed with a focus on equitable outcomes and long-term social value. While still in its early stages, the approach suggests a future in which quantum development is guided not just by science and commerce, but also by public accountability.

That future depends on expanding the skills conversation now. RAND Europe recommends competency frameworks that describe quantum job roles in terms of practical abilities, not academic pedigree. It also calls for alternative learning pathways — such as apprenticeships, bootcamps, and online courses — that allow mid-career professionals to enter the field.

Some of that work is already underway. Initiatives like Qubit by Qubit and Girls in Quantum are targeting high school students. Companies such as IBM and NVIDIA are building open-source tools and educational platforms that demystify quantum programming. But the study notes that many of these efforts remain fragmented or underfunded, especially outside major cities.

In 2025, declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, stakeholders have a chance to correct course. RAND Europe urges governments, industry groups, and educators to come together to write a “Quantum Technology Skills Charter” that would codify shared goals and align national efforts.

“Ultimately, investing in skills and talent development and promoting capacity-building efforts are essential to cultivate robust ecosystems capable of supporting the ongoing evolution and expected impact of quantum technologies,” the report concludes.

What Can Be Done: Actionable Steps to Build a Quantum Workforce

To address the growing talent gap in the quantum technology sector, the RAND Europe report outlines eight policy considerations that can serve as a roadmap for governments, industry leaders, and educators. Here are key steps based on those recommendations:

1. Build cross-sector partnerships.
Encourage collaboration between universities, companies, and public agencies to align education with real-world needs. Co-design curricula, offer joint internships, and support interdisciplinary teams.

2. Invest in regional hubs.
Support local quantum ecosystems with physical infrastructure, startup grants, and tailored training programs that match regional strengths. Quantum doesn’t have to be centralized.

3. Launch inclusive public outreach.
Develop programs that raise awareness of quantum careers in underrepresented communities, starting with school engagement and grassroots events.

4. Recognize non-technical roles.
Broaden hiring criteria to include ethics experts, lawyers, designers, and business professionals. Quantum’s success depends on more than just physicists.

5. Develop modular learning pathways.
Expand beyond PhD pipelines. Create flexible, stackable certifications and mid-career training options that allow professionals to enter the field from adjacent domains.

6. Embed social-good thinking.
Incorporate legal, social, and ethical frameworks into quantum development to ensure responsible innovation.

7. Use shared competency frameworks.
Adopt common standards, like the European Competence Framework, to define job roles, align qualifications, and track workforce needs.

8. Monitor and plan for the future.
Establish long-term skills foresight strategies to anticipate changing demand and inform funding, visa policies, and curriculum design.