Posted on 06/27/2004 4:52:11 AM PDT by neutrino
Now, explain to me, please - why would any U.S. student go to the trouble and expense of getting a Master's degree in a technical field when there is no demand?
But if we don't develop people with such expertise, what is to become of America - militarily, economically - in the next few years?
Are our children and grandchildren all to servants to Chinese and Indian overlords? That's where we're heading.
If you want on or off my offshoring ping list, please FReepmail me!
This is part of the employment picture that doesn't get enough attention, IMHO. It's not just outsourcing that's hurt folks in tech, but the H-1Bers and the L-1ers as well.
When I was going to school to get my CCNA, my college had an entire program specifically tailored to help H-1B types get further certifications. Upon learning of it, I thought why the hell even bother trying to educate myself further, if the freakin' college itself is cutting my throat with one hand, while taking my tuition check with the other?
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
OMG! The poor man, having to associate with the dregs of society! /sarcasm
These kinds of anecdotal stories are interesting, but indicate nothing other than the fact that there is turmoil and change in the business world. So when has this ever been any different?
What happened to the employees of the candle-makers, the buggy-whip companies, and the astrologers? Oh, wait, they're still here, but in fewer numbers.
More significantly, there is no economic benefit derived from education. Ergo, there will be fewer people who bother to become educated.
Enjoy your sarcastic one-liners, but remember that America will lose its technological leadership - and with that loss, many other areas of leadership will fail.
That should make an interesting time for your children and grandchildren. And, quite possibly, for YOU.
"Life is difficult" - The first line in the book 'The Road Less Traveled' by Scott M. Peck.
Suggested new headline: "College techie discovers world doesn't owe him a living."
The issue is not the individual US worker; rather, it is the negative effect of such policy on maintaining America's technological lead.
Why should anyone to technical degree, given the situation discussed here? Long-term, that's a problem.
Or, perhaps we should title it: "Surviving on the plantation - why you should learn to pleasure your Chinese masters."
Not to worry; at the present rate, we will soon enjoy the benefits of dollar per hour wages. I wonder if the company cafeteria will occasionally include a fish head in our rice? Yummm!
Laid off in 2001, started my own company aimed at small companies who did not have an IT staff. Got bought out (maybe I sold a little too quickly). Sold new vehicles for about a year, and now back in IT with a vengeance.
Up and down. Isn't that how it's always worked?
$710.96.. The price of freedom.
Seemingly no one is loyal to America anymore. Not the corporations, which have long abused visa programs to hire foreign workers at much lower than prevailing salaries, and which now are moving their headquarters to Bermuda to avoid their share of the tax burdens all workers take for granted. Not the public either, which crowds the Wal-Marts buying the cheap DVD players and clothing imported from communist tyrannies.
."There is no job that is America's God-given right anymore," Carly Fiorina, chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co., declared earlier this year. "We have to compete for jobs."
Notice Carly still has a job? What do you want to bet that Carly is talking about you and me and not Carly.
"What happened to the employees of the candle-makers, the buggy-whip companies, and the astrologers? Oh, wait, they're still here, but in fewer numbers."
Apples and oranges. Buggywhips were no longer needed. Their use no longer existed. No on uses buggywhips anymore
The output of these outsourced jobs is still VERY MUCH a part of the economy.
Why should anyone to technical degree, given the situation discussed here? Long-term, that's a problem
There is too much buzzword jingoism: "Nanophase", Hydrogen energy", "MEMS", with many unworkable and some outright stupid publications that would not have survived a peer review 15 years ago.
If the situation is not addressed (And at present there is no motivation for the education industry to do so), expect further declines.
Excuse this rant from an old R&D whore..haha.
its interesting, during the boom years there were so many people jumping on the bandwagon and frankly earning far more than they were really worth based on what they were producing. you can have all sorts of technical skills and knowledge but if you cant make useful things and sell them and make money then you arent in business. when the crash came, so many incompetent people lost their jobs. people like me didnt. i wasnt the smartest or the best technically: i just made good products in a decent timeframe and people paid for them. simple.
from the experience with my current organisation, foreign outsourcing (to india in this case) isnt the best solution to every problem, its only certain kinds of work that is worth farming out to them and there is substantial local skills and jobs needed to help run these projects as well.
the fact is, if the people who were working all around me several years back in the good times were actually delivering value for money to their clients and customers then we wouldnt be in this situation. information technology failed business in a general sense (though many still are in denial about it) and this is the result. IT is only there to support business and our other endevours. we should never make the mistake of thinking we are more important than the people our technology enables.
Hey, it's a quality rant.
There's still innovative folks out there, but lots of the "worker bees" in the technical and scientific fields are not. One theory I have is that much of this homogenization of design comes from commonality of software (all designs start to look the same) and the manipulation of such. Formerly "back of the envelope" problem solving is done by pre-canned macro. I've found having to use serious brain time on a deadline wonderful for increasing one's innovative abilities (sort of like the old saying "the realization of being hung a dawn focuses one's attention.)
When I read horror stories like these, I again thank God I'm a federal government employee. We're not getting rich, but at least we've got job security and pretty good benefits, including a fully-funded pension program and the best health care program around -- and the latter is included in our retirement package. Every time I read stories like this, I know I made the right decision when I started my government career over 20 years ago.
Not to some people here... IT, like all aspects of the business world goes up and down.
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