Offshoring of high-tech jobs

Wince-Smith suggests that the bulk of outsourcing in companies such as IBM is associated with back-room operations (customer support, call centers). The cusp of technological innovation remains in the U.S. She then throws in the caveats: (1)There is cause for some concern in the fields of electrical engineering and software programming; unemployment is in a slump in those fields. (2)The design, engineering, and manufacturing of semiconductors is being done in China, presenting serious competition. In fact, China and India are both emerging as first-tier competitors. (3)Globalization is fueling this; China and India are simply offering talent at a cheap price. (4)Manufacturing of basic computer chips abroad is ok, but we are in trouble if we lose production of advanced manufacturing, for example micro-processors. She suggests that the upside to oursourcing is that China and India will assume the disciplines and business practices of developed economies (for example, China won't want its intellectual property stolen, consumers will be empowered to buy U.S. products and services...) She concludes with the real root of the problem: WE NEED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO INTO MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING...if we lose our innovative capacity, we are doomed.

There is cause for some concern in the fields of electrical engineering and software programming; unemployment is in a slump in those fields.

Being an EE I have to wonder about where the slump is occurring in that field. Yes EEs are heavily involved in the high tech sector but there are many other areas for an EE to prosper Power generation and distribution just one example. Maybe anything out of the realm of clean rooms is just not sexy enough for the newer EEs.

WE NEED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO INTO MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING

Why should they when they have to compete with third world outsourcing.

These people are irrational. First she says "well, it is just at the margins," and then she says "well it is only chip manufacture, sofrware and EE." Outsourcing will destroy are technical lead. What will these people say then.

It is madness, pure madness. They have forgotten how the world works. Too bad the rest of us have to pay the price.

WE NEED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GO INTO MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING

Hmm.. speaking as a college Senior (who is kicking himself for spending the last 3 years pursuing a MIS degree), not many people I know are going into CS or Engineering because of worries over the job market.. and people who are currently in those fields are switching to other fields. I myself do not plan on playing the IT game, and will be attending Law School next year.. my girlfriend, formerly a mechanical engineering major, read the writing on the wall as well, and will be starting pharmacy school next fall. What will do, as a country, when our native technical base is gone? We cant all be lawyers, managers, and healthcare workers and still expect to remain the superpower we are today.

Well what will happen is that we will become a third world nation. But my question to you is why do you think that Law or pharmacy will have any more security than IT? They will outsource law research, the main source of advancement for young lawyers. Pharmacies will be done by quite low level people in the future. Plumbing might be a better choice, but in fact if we do not pull out of this globalization of the economy there will not be any real jobs for anyone.

It is a prescription for disaster.

Hmm.. to answer that..

My hometown is a small, rural MS Delta town. There are only 2 practicing lawyers in town, and one of them is extremely close to retirement. I had sort of planned just to set up my own practice there. Will I get fabulously wealthy and have a glamorous job? Probably not. But will I be able to live quite comfortably and close to my family and the place that I love? Probably so. And if that doesnt work out I suppose I can always go into plumbing, as there is a shortage of those around here as well ;)

My oldest daughter is a Freshman at MIT majoring in Computer Science. She got the computer bug like her old man did 30+ years ago. Hopefully she'll be able to find a job when she graduates in 3.5 years. But things aren't looking good.

This whole situation of outsourcing jobs to places like India makes me sick. The companies that do this are just trying to make higher profits. They can still be profitable if they keep the jobs here. But their CEO's and other high ranking officers won't be able to make their $10m/annual salaries and stock options.

When the Auto industry and Textile industry started to outsource their products overseas there at least was a solution to the unemployeed workers (at least for some)....RETRAINING....

So what is our Government offering our outsourced engineers now..RETRAINING....My question is....RETRAIN FOR WHAT? These people already have BS and MS degrees in a Math or Science dicipline. Many of these people have IQ's of the top 1% in the world. Where else do you go?

The latest report the government is spewing, is that when US companies outsource these High-tech jobs it creates more jobs here in the US. TRANSLATION - When BurgerKing outsources it's Software Engineering department to India, they'll be able to hire more burger flippers and fry makers in their stores. THIS IS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY?????

Our country as grown in prosperity and wealth because of the oppertunities we've been able to strive for. By letting our tech jobs go overseas, where do we go? What do we have to strive for? People like my daughter who have IQ's of 150 or more...What kind of jobs are they suppose to persue if we let our technical jobs go overseas?

In one study it's estimated that within 10 years over 6.6 million high-tech jobs will be lost to foreign markets. Within 20..almost all high-tech jobs will NOT be in the US.

As for EE majors. Switching from a digital engineer designing compter circuits and boards, it's NOT easy (in fact almost impossible) to switch to designing power systems. Maybe if you're a fresh-out. But NOT if you've been working as a CE for the past 20 years. I know MANY EE majors who are out of work or in a completely different field when Digital Equipment Co. downsized them back in the late 80's and early 90's.

I don't have a problem with high-tech jobs being competing on the Global market.....WHEN IT'S A EVEN PLAYING FIELD...I can't compete with a Engineer in India. Their wages won't even pay the taxes on my home. I can't take that kind of a cut in pay.

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