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U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

computerworld.com

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Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#2
Reminder that "STEM" was just a buzzword designed to flood the skill-intensive labor markets with a generation of idealistic youngsters, all with the intention of driving down wages.

There never was a labor shortage, or as it's occasionally framed, a "talent" shortage.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#3
post #2

Reminder that "STEM" was just a buzzword designed to flood the skill-intensive labor markets with a generation of idealistic youngsters, all with the intention of driving down wages. There never was a labor shortage, or as it's occasionally framed, a "talent" shortage.

Yes. We need fewer STEM graduates, and/or more money in science.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#4
To pre-empt anticipated comments Job Outlook "Growth" is change in number of people employed: From the source here are the numbers for other disciplines.

Software Developer Job Outlook, 2014-24 17% (Much faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/s...

Computer Hardware Engineers Job Outlook, 2014-24 3% http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer...

Database Administrators Job Outlook, 2014-24 11% (Faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/d...

statisticians Job Outlook, 2014-24 34% (Much faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/statisticians.htm

computer-and-information-systems-managers Job Outlook, 2014-24 15% (Much faster than average http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/computer-and-information-s...

Yet the article conveniently uses cherry picked data for arguing against H1B. The majority of the H1B are being awarded for above categories and not for electrical engineering.

The simple explanation is that it's cheaper to manufacture components in Taiwan, Korea and China. H1B is not causing electrical engineers to lose jobs, it's the fundamental economics of production that are stacked against the occupation.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#6
post #5

People with Engineering / Comp. Sci. Degrees are not in short supply. Exceptional engineers and programmers are. Its almost like the difference between kids who want to play football and the people with talent to make it.

A lot of programming jobs don't require rock star programmers.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#7

To pre-empt anticipated comments Job Outlook "Growth" is change in number of people employed: From the source here are the numbers for other disciplines. Software Developer Job Outlook, 2014-24 17% (Much faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/s... Computer Hardware Engineers Job Outlook, 2014-24 3% http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer... Database Admini…

What's the connection between electrical engineering and cheap soldering in China?

That's like saying it's cheaper to hire Chinese to type into a keyboard, so programmers are no longer in demand.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#8

To pre-empt anticipated comments Job Outlook "Growth" is change in number of people employed: From the source here are the numbers for other disciplines. Software Developer Job Outlook, 2014-24 17% (Much faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/s... Computer Hardware Engineers Job Outlook, 2014-24 3% http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer... Database Admini…

What's the connection between electrical engineering and cheap soldering in China? That's like saying it's cheaper to hire Chinese to type into a keyboard, so programmers are no longer in demand.

If you think hon hai precision industry co. ltd (aka foxconn) is merely doing "soldering" in China you ought to catch up with the market reality. Almost everyone I know who is employed at Apple (in California) with electrical engineering degree, goes on multi-month annual visits to Chinese plants.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#9
post #5

People with Engineering / Comp. Sci. Degrees are not in short supply. Exceptional engineers and programmers are. Its almost like the difference between kids who want to play football and the people with talent to make it.

A lot of programming jobs don't require rock star programmers.

Maybe they don't, but maybe they do. How many of those jobs wouldn't exist with access to a more talented team? As an analogy, I don't require a phone to communicate with my mother, but if I didn't have the faster method, I'd have to travel to see her.

Re: U.S. predicts zero job growth for electrical engineers

#10

To pre-empt anticipated comments Job Outlook "Growth" is change in number of people employed: From the source here are the numbers for other disciplines. Software Developer Job Outlook, 2014-24 17% (Much faster than average) http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/s... Computer Hardware Engineers Job Outlook, 2014-24 3% http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer... Database Admini…

What's the connection between electrical engineering and cheap soldering in China? That's like saying it's cheaper to hire Chinese to type into a keyboard, so programmers are no longer in demand.

OP never mentioned cheap soldering - where did you get that from? The issue (as I understand it) is that the design and manufacture of most electrical components is happening offshore. The biggest fab in the world is in Taiwan. We aren't talking about cheap soldering, we are talking about the semiconductor work that drives most hardware.

We are starting to see a few hardware startups but most of the jobs created are still overseas as manufacturing happens abroad. Most of the EEs I know switched into CS fields because of reasons like this. I wonder where the future of EE lies.

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