Democratic gubernatorial primary candidate Phil Angelides told Silicon Valley business executives Thursday he could reduce Silicon Valley’s dependency on skilled foreign workers by offering thousands of college scholarships to California students who study science, math and engineering.

If he were governor, Angelides told business executives, the California Tomorrow Fellowship program would award 10,000 students with up to $10,000 each for college expenses.

The state, he said, would put up $50 million and the remaining $50 million, he hopes, would be matched by businesses, universities and foundations.

“Last year California graduated 6,700 young people with degrees in engineering. South Korea, a country barely a third larger” than California, “graduated 56,000,” Angelides told a gathering of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group.