Bill Gates says foreign skilled workers needed

[Big]

CNN reports Bill Gates says more foreign skilled engineers are needed in US or USA will lose its global competitive edge.


What do you say to that ugly?

[Big]

Federal quotas on H-1B visas, capped at 65,000 last year, have long been a sore spot for Microsoft and other technology companies. But, Gates said, the increased caliber of research institutions in China and India means that curbs on immigration and guest-workers will pose a greater threat to America's competitiveness than ever before.

news.com.com/Gates+wants+to+scrap+H-1B+visa+restrictions/2100-1022_3-5687039.html

[Flop the Nuts]

big said:

CNN reports Bill Gates says more foreign skilled engineers are needed in US or USA will lose its global competitive edge.


What do you say to that ugly?

Big, I still don't understand your point. Gates is basically saying that the US needs more skilled engineers. If they aren't available within the US, then by definition they are "foreign". We try to hire the best engineers possible, and we have a shortage of engineers in this country.

[Big]

ugly was trying to convince me a few days ago that America doesn't need any more immigrants.

[Flop the Nuts]

Oh, OK.

IMO, we don't need any more illegal immigrants, but we can use plenty of legal immigrants.

[Big]

Flop,

More like desperately need them.

[oc]

What Gates wants is cheap engineers. This is just an attempt to curtail the wages of high skilled workers, let wages rise and more Americans will become engineers.

[Flop the Nuts]

If other countries can produce those types of engineers more cheaply than we can, then maybe the US should have fewer people become engineers. Why would Gates or any other business owner want to pay more $ for the same expertise?

[Big]

Because one day we will become slaves after we will not be able to do anything ourselves and have 1% of Americans living like Kings. No different than Saudi Arabia and such.

Why do you think other countries should educate engineers only to see them leave their countries and benefit America?

[Flop the Nuts]

Do you think that little kids in the US should grow up wanting to be steelworkers? No, because other countries can make steel more cheaply, and we shouldn't focus on it. The only way US steelmakers survive today is through subsidies, grants, protectionism, and tax breaks.

If there was an internet when Henry Ford started making his Model-T, there would have been someone just like you posting "What's going to happen to all of the horse-and-buggy makers in this country?", bemoaning the fact that certain industries were going to suffer.

There are a slew of other industries that we cannot do as well or as cheaply as other countries. It's the way things have worked since the dawn of the industrial age. Industries and people undergo "creative destruction" as Schumpeter said.

Read this link: www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2007/03/04/as_tech_firms_rebound_a_robust_job_market_emerges/?page=full

for a look at how one major technology job market is booming, despite the "threat" of outsourcing.

[Big]

I don't quite understand you Flop. Engineering is the kernel of economy. Are you saying we need to have American engineers do other things or we don't need them at all?

If American engineers cease to exist, eventually other countries will catch up in technology and will not need USA at all.

Then, America will not lead in technology and will become irrelevant leading to $$$ decline and ruin economy.

[oc]

Flop, I work with quite a few engineers from foreign countries and as zenophobic as it sounds they're not that good (except for the Chinese). I've seen Ph.D.'s fail to do what an engineer from Drexel could do.

[Flop the Nuts]

Big, you were talking specifically about IT engineers and now you're making a broader point.

If other countries produce better, cheaper engineers, then we have two options. Produce better, cheaper engineers than those countries, or get out of the business of producing those engineers. Figure out something else we can be #1 or #2 in, and focus on that. What is your solution? Hoping that high-tech firms will pay more for an inferior service? Keep waiting on that.

The US doesn't "deserve" to be #1 in anything, we have to earn it.

[Big]

Flop,

If IT engineers come, other fields will follow as well.

[Flop the Nuts]

oc said:

Flop, I work with quite a few engineers from foreign countries and as zenophobic as it sounds they're not that good (except for the Chinese). I've seen Ph.D.'s fail to do what an engineer from Drexel could do.

But don't you think that companies will realize that, if they haven't already? Companies want cheaper labor, but they can't afford to re-do things all of the time.

For example, I only use Amazon when I buy books or DVDs on-line. I know that I might pay a little bit more, but I know that their customer service is great if there is a problem, I know that the product will arrive on-time and in good condition, I know that they aren't selling my e-mail address to other companies, etc...

I could make the mistake of always searching for the lowest price, but after a few fck-ups, I'd be back with Amazon. If the engineers are truly of a lower quality, then companies will learn from their experience. But, if they are of equal or better "quality", and cheaper, then what would you expect the companies to do?

FWIW, I don't mean to offend any IT guys out there, I have no idea of the relative quality of a US engineer and one from somewhere else. You could substitute "porn director" for IT engineer if you wish.