In My View: On High-Tech Visas

by Rick Dill

Jobs are competitive. Getting training in a particular field doesn't entitle you to a job. You have to bring something of value to the employer (or as the employer, if you are starting your own business). In the nearly 50 years I've been working in high-tech, it is clear that U.S. engineers (some born here and many imported) provided a climate of innovation and quality engineering that moved many technologies along very quickly. It is also clear that when the technology stagnates, it is fairly easy for someone else to come in and produce for less, with a lower cost for people.

In my mind, two questions arise:

The first: What technologies we can move along fast enough to take technical leadership in? Those engineering jobs won't be outsourced, although as manufacturing becomes a commodity, it will be outsourced. If I were graduating today, I might choose to be in bio-tech.

The second question is much larger. A century ago, the United States went through the agricultural revolution, when we went from the majority of our population raising food to the point where three percent can raise what we need and more. Now, a century later, we are seeing the same thing in much of manufacturing. Can we produce all the goods the world needs with five percent of the population? If so, what will everyone else do to keep themselves in the economy that might allow them to purchase what we can provide? How do we make an "earth-wide" economy work? How many engineers would it take?

Yes, the United States is losing manufacturing jobs. It has been for nearly half a century. China is also losing manufacturing jobs — from a different base. We, in high tech companies, seem to be willing to sell our wares at "shirt button" prices to gain market share. That doesn't make for job stability or even economic stability.

Are we training our kids to bring value to their employers? Or to become value producing employers?

— Rick Dill
Distinguished Engineer, IEEE Life Fellow
Still employed after nearly 50 years
New Almaden, Calif.

 

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Views expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of IEEE-USA.