Posted on 01/17/2012 5:40:46 PM PST by Steelfish
U.S. Losing High-Tech Manufacturing Jobs To Asia
Peter Whoriskey January 17, 3:23 PM
The United States lost more than a quarter of its high-tech manufacturing jobs during the past decade as U.S.-based multinational companies placed a growing percentage of their research and development operations overseas, the National Science Board reported Tuesday.
The rapid expansion of science and engineering capabilities in China and its neighbors pose an ever more formidable economic challenge to the United States, according to the group, with Asia rapidly boosting the number of engineering doctorates it produces and research dollars it spends.
A recent study breaks down how graduates with various college degrees are faring in today’s difficult job market.
The report comes as the Obama administration is seeking to make U.S. manufacturing more competitive through engineering and innovation. In June, it announced its Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, and sunk $500 million into the effort.
But as the National Science Board publication shows, vast government efforts in Asia are working along similar lines. It offered abundant evidence that government efforts in Asia to attract and develop engineering outfits, and not just low-wage factories, have paid off. Since 2000:
Research and development expenditures in China and nine other Asian countries has risen to match that of the United States.
The number of doctoral degrees in engineering awarded in China has more than doubled since 2000, and now far exceeds the number awarded in the United States.
The number of research workers for U.S.-based multinationals working overseas has more than doubled.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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