[skeeter]

We have tens of thousands of foreign students graduating with technical degrees every year. If you are an engineer and over 50 it is almost impossible to find work.

I simply don't believe this report.

[The Working Man]

I agree with you completely. They won’t hire older workers and the younger ones rarely want to do something that might get them dirty.

[businessprofessor]

I simply don't believe this report.

I am suspicious also. I suspect that most of these positions will either not be filled or the organization is trying to hire foreign workers using impossible job qualifications to justify hiring foreign workers.

Last night, a Microsoft evangelist told a group of students that Microsoft had thousands of openings for individuals with a variety of business and computing skills. Organizations are very specific about skills and experience. In former times, firms wanted good generalists with ability to adapt and apply their knowledge. Granted that company needs have changed but the emphasis on very specific skills and experience seems misguided.

[SteveH]

We have tens of thousands of foreign students graduating with technical degrees every year. If you are an engineer and over 50 it is almost impossible to find work... I simply don't believe this report.

If there are skilled positions going unfilled then the companies would be willing to take on trainees. They are not taking trainees. So the unfilled positions are bogus. The main spokesperson interviewed in the article is a consultant. The companies are deliberately avoiding hiring permanent positions. They do not want to invest training in employees, for whatever reason. The jobs are left unfilled for other reasons, such as so that the companies can open factories overseas and use the unfilled jobs as an excuse, or justify lobbying for more H1-Bs. The article writer must have the intelligence of a fruit fly. He has no clue.

[Jonty30]

It’s probably true.

What has happened over the last 50 years is that businesses have gotten out of training people. They want people to absorb all of the cost, and risk, of getting training and be able to hit the ground running.

It’s very short sighted and a disservice to everybody.