U.S. Students Shun Computer Science, Engineering

San Jose Mercury News ^ | Mar. 24, 2004 | Karl Schoenberger

[HolgerDansk]

Undergraduates in U.S. universities are starting to abandon their studies in computer technology and engineering amid widespread worries about the accelerating pace of offshoring by high-technology employers.

A new study, to be published in May, shows there was a dramatic drop-off of enrollment in those fields last year -- 19 percent -- and some educators warn about the potential consequences for America's global competitiveness.

[HolgerDansk]

Advocates of outsourcing and "free trade" should take note: this is a natural consequence of those policies, one which effectively locks in the loss of jobs and tax revenue.

[TXBSAFH]

Why study a course load that now has as a required elective Hindi 101.

[TopQuark]

Advocates of outsourcing and "free trade" should take note: this is a natural consequence of those policies, one which effectively locks in the loss of jobs and tax revenue.

No, it's a consquence of widespread ignorance of our population. It is evidenced also in your reversal of cause and effect. Like many, you do not appear to differentiate education and vocational training.

[Gunslingr3]

Advocates of outsourcing and "free trade" should take note: this is a natural consequence of those policies, one which effectively locks in the loss of jobs and tax revenue.

Are you in favor of protectionist tariffs? If you are, how would you suggest implementing a tariff on IT services and products in the real world?

[maro]

Who's to say that this is not rational behavior on the part of the kids, and therefore for the economy? I've also heard that the medical schools are emptier, now that medicine is no longer lucrative. These things come and go. I suspect that the students who change majors to something else weren't the top of the class anyway. The real problem is that the secondary schools are not preparing kids to have the basic math and science background needed to consider majoring in science and engineering in college.

[SolutionsOnly]

Engineering is not vocational training. If you need a fine example of ignorance, look in the mirror.

[Terpfen]

"I suspect that the students who change majors to something else weren't the top of the class anyway."

I just changed majors yesterday from Communications to Computer Information Systems. Does this make me a bad student?

[international american]

Why spend 100 grand to get a degree that is outsourced? These are our smartest kids, and they are trying to survive. That means getting a degree which will help them get a decent job. Even Gates is worried! The so called "free traders" don't have a clue!

[af_vet_1981]

Advocates of outsourcing and "free trade" should take note: this is a natural consequence of those policies, one which effectively locks in the loss of jobs and tax revenue.

Prosperity is not a right. It must be earned with hard work and competition.

Students need maturity, goals, discipline and a focus on their future family. One does not win by failing to compete.

[vanmorrison]

Nobody can tell me that an American graduate from an American engineering program is not as qualified as a Hindoo from the University of Bangladesh...

[HolgerDansk]

No, it's a consquence of widespread ignorance of our population. It is evidenced also in your reversal of cause and effect.

Did you bother to read the article? The study? If the population perceives absence of opportunity, the damage is done. Period. Causality chain is obvious.

Like many, you do not appear to differentiate education and vocational training.

Ah, the Haavvaad whine. Engineering is not merely "vocational training" by a long shot.

[SolutionsOnly]

Unfortunately, being just as qualified isn't good enough given the wage differential between the first and third worlds.

[GeraldP]

>>>No, it's a consquence of widespread ignorance of our population. It is evidenced also in your reversal of cause and effect.

Agreed. It is a shame that science and math are steretyped as "nerdy", "dorky", and 'uncool" beginning in the earliest stages of education. This mentality leads to a stigma on science and engineering-related professions, which does not completely dissipate even in later stages of education and professional life.

[2banana]

What is the big deal? A shortage of engineers will cause salaries to rise and cause more people to go into engineering. Maybe one day and engineer's salary will come close to a lawyer's salary...

Of course, H-1B visa will continue to supress the engineer's salary.

[CasearianDaoist]

They also need to pay the rent.

[goodnesswins]

If the primary and secondary education kids are given is any indicator.....these kids are NOT prepared for degrees in computer/engineering programs. It's "tooooooo" hard! Those kids who want to excel can do so without a degree anyway, just like Gates did!

[international american]

"Unfortunately, being just as qualified isn't good enough given the wage differential between the first and third worlds."

Careful, stop making sense:)

[JacksonCalhoun]

I received a computer science degree in 1991. For most computer-related jobs it's useless. If you're going to be a chip designer or write operating systems, maybe it is useful, although most of the courses you take are too introductory in nature. I studied crap in 1986 that was outdated in 1976 (PDP-11, anyone?).

Since I started college, the PC has become a household appliance like a toaster, and the business has become a lot easier to enter for those without a hardcore CS background, with high level languages and software development environments more prevalent. Most of the people I have run into in the IT business come from every other major except for Computer Science. If I were to rewind my life back 18 years, I would have picked anything but computer science, with it maybe as a minor.

[international american]

And their student loans:)

[looscnnn]

"Many companies turn to India because its technology workers are comparatively cheap -- about one-ninth the cost of their U.S. counterparts, according to documents in a recent tax case involving the Indian software company Infosys Technologies. Companies also say they are taking advantage of a workforce in India that is well-trained and highly skilled in cutting-edge technologies."

That blows two theories out of the water:

1) American workers are better trained/more knowledgeable workers than anywhere else.

2) The money is not the reason for outsourcing.