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If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

techrepublic.com

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Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#41

Post by criley2 »

noamsml wrote: post #11
astanway wrote: post #8

Ah, the old "shortage" "issue". More likely, there is no shortage - just a shortage of engineers willing to be paid the low wages most likely on offer at these companies

Low wages? Silicon valley engineers tend to be fairly highly paid...

> Silicon valley engineers tend to be fairly highly paid...

I mean, yes the worlds most pre-eminent software developer culture demands high prices.

What about the 98% (fake statistic) of American software developers who do not live in or around San Francisco ...?

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#43

Post by linkregister »

Mikeb85 wrote: post #16

Well my education is in economics and, in general, the way to solve a 'shortage' in labour is to raise wages. Of course, what they're really talking about is a shortage in engineers willing to do the job at the price they've specified, so they lobby the government to open up immigration to workers from abroad willing to work for less, while at the same time trying to push more and more kids into CS, so that the marke…

This article is about the UK software development market, which is significantly different from that of the US.

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#44

Post by sharemywin »

linkregister wrote: post #34

Can someone speak specifically about the UK software market? We seem to wrongly be making statements about the US market, which this article is not about. From what I've heard it's dismally underpaid in the UK; I have also heard the perspective that costs of living are dramatically lower outside London, and matched with longer vacations and shorter working hours, it evens out.

Here's an article talking about STEM crisis for jobs and workers in US:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12663051

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#45

Post by ggggtez »

astanway wrote: post #8

Ah, the old "shortage" "issue". More likely, there is no shortage - just a shortage of engineers willing to be paid the low wages most likely on offer at these companies

I've given the advice to many associates to hold out for a job they actually want in their field. Waiting for a higher paying and more satisfying job is worth being unemployed temporarily, especially in tech, where you can be assured the job you want does exist.

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#46

Post by caseysoftware »

astanway wrote: post #8

Ah, the old "shortage" "issue". More likely, there is no shortage - just a shortage of engineers willing to be paid the low wages most likely on offer at these companies

I'm hesitant to put 100% of the blame on employers. Like any field, there are people who are good, people who aren't good yet but have potential, and then the rest. I wonder how much of the ~11% who are still looking for jobs fall under the "rest" group?

I'd love to know how many of them were getting 1st round interviews, how many were getting followups, how many were getting job offers.

If they're falling out at the first round and not getting invited back, that would shift some of the blame their way.

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#47

Post by Old_Thrashbarg »

In San Francisco and the Bay Area, it does feel like there's a shortage of good developers. I say that because I know contractors (with a couple years of experience) who make $250 or $300 per hour. That's very burdensome for startups and the cost is necessarily passed on to consumers.

On the flip side, coming out of academia, I had a hard time landing my first industry job.

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#48

Post by LeanderK »

JetSetWilly wrote: post #30

From my experience interviewing CS grads in the UK, I'd say the answer is pretty obvious: 'cos most of them are inexplicably rubbish. For example I recently interviewed someone with CS degree (sorry, "informatics" according to them) and masters from edinburgh uni who couldn't join 2 tables, write fizzbuzz-type code, etc. I don't know if it is because of group work or some other effect, but credentials even from decen…

How many CS grads commited to open source projects regularly? Do they perform better in interviews?

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#49

Post by jimmydddd »

Mikeb85 wrote: post #16

Well my education is in economics and, in general, the way to solve a 'shortage' in labour is to raise wages. Of course, what they're really talking about is a shortage in engineers willing to do the job at the price they've specified, so they lobby the government to open up immigration to workers from abroad willing to work for less, while at the same time trying to push more and more kids into CS, so that the marke…

I agree with this point. A Rutgers University professor did some research on this issue. He is quoted as saying something like "just because I can't find a 60 inch flat screen TV for $100 doesn't mean there's a shortage of flat screen TVs."

Re: If there's a tech skills shortage, why so many computer graduates unemployed?

#50

Post by nbevans »

I'm an employer and I can tell you that in the UK a lot of graduates are incredibly ill-equipped. Most of our universities are not teaching the right stuff and not emphasising the correct stuff anywhere near enough.

Knowing only one language like Java (a UK uni. favourite) to a junior standard is simply unacceptable to most employers. Being unable to construct even a simple object model and writing nested mutable state for-loops with the old school "i" and "j" as variable names is also not a good sign.

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