Posted on 12/02/2025 8:23:31 AM PST by DFG
I’ve been in hi tech since 1988 and watched companies come and go. The constant drive for profit drives the remaining players to reach to cost cutting and offshoring has been their alleged solution for about 30 years and it has mixed results.
As far as going to school for coding, my oldest son who is now 35 was asked if he wanted “to go into computers because thats what your dad does?”
He replied that, no, he didn’t need to do that because if he had a computer question, he’d ask his dad - he wanted to learn to be an electrician.
He said his quidance counselor nearly fainted when he said that, but he had seen many of my friends who were programmers lose their jobs because of offshoring and he didn’t want to live that life too.
I now teach cybersecurity at the middle and high school levels.
I don’t recommend coding, I suggest learning Information Technology and computer/network setups - they can’t offshore that (yet)
Then, maybe cybersecurity, but even that is risky now for the same offshoring reason.
supposedly-American engineering/tech firms hiring (cheaper and obedient) foreign workers (or just exporting the work to Communist China and other Asian paradises)
has been a problem for DECADES.
Irwin Feerst (Long Island, New York) tried to repair the H1B-type damage to American workers. In the 1960-70’s. He ran for president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) a trade organization long-run, dominated by managers of several large “American” corporations. He wanted IEEE to repeal or reform the foreign labor problem. He came within a relative handful of votes to winning but the Powers that Be got their act together and shut the door on him.
He went to WashingtonDC seeking amendment of the laws but got nowhere (there’s no way an individual engineer or techie can outbid the large corporations when it comes to “lobbying” Congress — that takes some real MONEY $$$$$)
What is fascinating is just how thoroughly his life’s work, indeed his very name, has been expurgated (erased) from history (especially here on the internet). Run a few search engines and see if you can find this engineer and what he did, trying to work “within the system” for its reform —
didn’t work. draw your own conclusions, lessons?
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
Eric Blair (”George Orwell”), in his dystopic but alas, very prophetic novel “1984” (which he wrote in 1946-1949 so the “writing has been on the wall” for quite some time already)
Things are changing radically in the software development areas where the H1B visa holders have displaced American developers
Software development used to be a very labor intensive process which drove the desire for low cost, lower skill Indian labor
New AI assisted coding is amazing
Using these tools I duplicated what was once a multi year PhD thesis analysis code developed by a really top notch researcher from scratch in less than a week.
The world is changing at warp speed and the work that used to be done by low functioning Indian H1B drones is rapidly being supplanted by modern software design tools and AI based automation
I have no idea where all this is going but it is going there fast
Unless you’re MS certified in some discipline, don’t bother.
Learn to drive a truck. Lotsa near term opportunity
I have a pretty good job as a system administrator for a county agency who tried and hasn’t given up hope of some kind of cybersecurity position.
Along with some formal schooling, I acquired some relevant certifications such as Security +, Net+, CompTIA CYSA, Cisco CyberOps, and project plus. I have others outside security.
I’m looking to take CASP soon then maybe Pentest plus.
It took a while but I have a system worked out that gotten me through many certification exams. Tons of study and test simulations mostly.
Agree it has been totally misused and has actually been destroying STEM careers for many years. I have a cousin who was laid off in favor of cheaper immigrant programmers 15 years ago who got a CDL and has driven trucks since then, though haven’t spoken to him lately about that area also being ruined by cheap labor.
Agree it has been totally misused and has actually been destroying STEM careers for many years. I have a cousin who was laid off in favor of cheaper immigrant programmers 15 years ago who got a CDL and has driven trucks since then, though haven’t spoken to him lately about that area also being ruined by cheap labor.
“elected to office on a pro-worker platform”
Trump was elected by a coalition that does not agree on every issue.
Our experience is that with H1b 50% of IT is immigrants, 50% is US citizens.
The alternative is outsourcing where 100% of IT is non-Americans. Those who think there is a 3d alternative are delusional.
That said, the H1b and job market in general does have problems.
1) That many immigrants can work (illegally) under 1 visa is a problem.
2) That many immigrants work as a sub-contractor of a sub-contractor is a problem. Nobody is accountable for anything.
3) That the recruiter role has become dominated by those who cannot speak or understand American version of the English language is a BIG problem.
4) That many H1b are not qualified to be IT workers is a BIG BIG BIG problem. A problem we too often ignore. For example, in all the debate over 2020 GA elections how often is it mentioned the role of Indians in India not only lacking an understanding of US law and custom...but also lacking basic IT skills when the code US/GA election software?
5)Those in the Trump coalition who see a role for some immigrants need to address the real problems and fix the problems.
Make the dot Indians kiss low caste Dalits. “Saar, saar, I not do this.”
"Vivek Ramaswamy suggesting that the U.S. needs foreign talent because American culture “venerated mediocrity over excellence"
If they truly are the best and the brightest instead of just cheap labor meant to undercut American workers, then companies will not mind paying a premium to get them. That’s why the $100K fee on H1bs is totally appropriate.
It SHOULD cost more to employ a foreigner than it costs to employ an American. That way companies will only do so if they really can’t find Americans who can do the job or for those small number of foreigners who truly are exceptionally bright and talented. Fine. Let them come and let their employers pay for them.
Nuanced: India first, India always.
You forgot the part about standing on the toilet seat.
Better yet, import some competent Pakistanis.
Yeah. And squirting water bottles up their ass. Savages.
The standing on the toilet is a true story from a well-known software concern. When you’re standing, your aim for #1 & #2 can be way off.
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