[GingisK]

Can you prove that all the jobs lost were engineering jobs?

I'm an engineer. I am very lucky to have a job for the moment. If you merely go to the job search sites for engineering jobs, you would find that there are very few listings nationwide. Many of my friends have been without work for nearly two years. None of these jobs are "bubble computer", but rather hardcore embedded software engineering and circuit design. I have been in this field for over thirty years following five years in college. (Physics, math, electrical engineering, computer science. Computer science, not IT. I'm talking algorithms, operating systems internals, compiler design theory, queing theory, and so on.) The jobs are indeed evaporating.

The work done by myself and my friends is engineering in the full sense of the word. We use math, physics, chemistry, and other hardcore disciplines to accomplish our work. (I've never written a web page in my life.) I design hardware devices that contain microprocessors and write software for them as well. We are the guys that design and program cell phones, cable TV settop boxes, telephone switches, automobile systems controllers, PC Computers and related hardware, laboratory equipment, medical equipment, aircraft avionics, guided missle guts, air-traffic control systems, and so on.

If the bulk of America is making the same mistake you are in thinking that only "frivolous" computer jobs are affected, then I'm sure voters will simply not do the right thing. America's technological advantage will be squandered, surely enough. There just won't be any incintive to suffer though engineering school.

[rwfromkansas]

I am concerned about engineering jobs, but I am assuming this is a phase. If it continues, then it will be time to be worried. Dubya should have a plan to pound in the campaign anyway.

[#3Fan]

I'm an engineer. I am very lucky to have a job for the moment. If you merely go to the job search sites for engineering jobs, you would find that there are very few listings nationwide. Many of my friends have been without work for nearly two years. None of these jobs are "bubble computer", but rather hardcore embedded software engineering and circuit design. I have been in this field for over thirty years following five years in college. (Physics, math, electrical engineering, computer science. Computer science, not IT. I'm talking algorithms, operating systems internals, compiler design theory, queing theory, and so on.) The jobs are indeed evaporating. The work done by myself and my friends is engineering in the full sense of the word. We use math, physics, chemistry, and other hardcore disciplines to accomplish our work. (I've never written a web page in my life.) I design hardware devices that contain microprocessors and write software for them as well. We are the guys that design and program cell phones, cable TV settop boxes, telephone switches, automobile systems controllers, PC Computers and related hardware, laboratory equipment, medical equipment, aircraft avionics, guided missle guts, air-traffic control systems, and so on. If the bulk of America is making the same mistake you are in thinking that only "frivolous" computer jobs are affected, then I'm sure voters will simply not do the right thing. America's technological advantage will be squandered, surely enough. There just won't be any incintive to suffer though engineering school.

You did a lot of talking but I see no numbers showing that legitimate Engineering jobs (not those fake bubble computer engineering jobs) have left the country by a large percentage.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm an engineer, too. But I'm a civil engineer -- the oldest of the engineering disciplines. Everyone I talk to in this field tells me the same thing -- they can't find good civil engineers anywhere, and would hire one in a heartbeat.