Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 370 posts

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#21

Post by jbob2000 »

twoquestions wrote: post #6

Stated differently, "Google commits $1B to flood the market with newbie tech workers, and to grow future client businesses". The cynic in me can clearly see their interest in the effects of this grant, but thinking on it more that interest might serve us better in the long run. I just hope the community gains from that money before it makes it's way back to Google.

I saw it totally differently. The recent election showed me that there are huge amounts of untapped labour across the US, but they lack to capital to elevate themselves. To me, this was google saying "hey, we don't need to import people for tech, we can just home grow them"

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#23

Post by walshemj »

Klockan wrote: post #13

I don't understand why they don't open more remote offices instead. Around 90% of their employees are currently within the US, wouldn't it be a lot easier to find tech talent if they had a major position in other areas of the world as well?

two reasons time difference and communications

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#24

Post by Apocryphon »

twoquestions wrote: post #6

Stated differently, "Google commits $1B to flood the market with newbie tech workers, and to grow future client businesses". The cynic in me can clearly see their interest in the effects of this grant, but thinking on it more that interest might serve us better in the long run. I just hope the community gains from that money before it makes it's way back to Google.

For a long time the anti-H1B segment has been critical of Big Tech for trying to undercut American tech workers instead in investing in citizens. So now they're investing in the wrong citizens?

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#25

Post by SEJeff »

Overtonwindow wrote: post #10

Stated differently: "In light of recent criticism on its ability to import foreign, cheap labor, Google commits to improving their public image for American labor"

You missed something "Google commits to improving their public image with a future of cheap American labor".

There you go. Perfect!

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#26

Post by yahna »

leggomylibro wrote: post #14

Great, it's about time that these companies stepped up to bring more people into their workforce. It's ridiculous to complain to legislatures about skills shortages without stepping up to bring your own resources to bear on the issue. Still, as nice as giving money to other organizations is, it would even better to see them actually training people from a diverse variety of backgrounds. They're not exactly taking any…

It's ridiculous to whine about skill shortages while simultaneously having a strange amount of pride in your overwrought false-negative prone hiring process.

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#27

Post by swendoog »

Everyone hates a cynic so bring on the downvotes:

I'm going to warn everyone of what's coming.

Software engineer jobs will be blue collar, $40-$60k a year jobs, by 2030.

The HUGE push from government, and private business, to fill the PERCEIVED lack of engineers, will come to fruition around that time.

Make no mistake about it - there is NOT a lack of skilled engineers right now. There is a disinterest among business to pay higher, and higher salaries.

If you are a SWE right now, save your money, and invest your time into improving YOURSELF. Have a backup plan, because I promise you, the good times are coming to an end sooner than you think.

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#28

Post by bradleyjg »

I'd be more impressed if they committed to hiring employees that don't already have the skills they are looking for and doing on the job training. That would be far more effective both in terms of actual skills transfer and in terms of future career trajectory than Yet More Retraining Programs untethered from any actual employer or employment opportunities. We've been doing the latter since at least the Kennedy administration to little effect.

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#29

Post by UncleMeat »

Overtonwindow wrote: post #10

Stated differently: "In light of recent criticism on its ability to import foreign, cheap labor, Google commits to improving their public image for American labor"

How is Google importing foreign, cheap labor? Their H1B applications are public and you can check the salaries yourself. None of the majors are abusing foreign labor.

Re: Google commits $1B in grants to train U.S. workers for high-tech jobs

#30

Post by Apocryphon »

wehere1 wrote: post #2

always remember: the industry's involvement in CS education has less to do with philanthropy and goodwill than it does with lowering the cost of labor over the long term

Then what are they supposed to do, stop growing? Sure they could stand to raise wages for existing workers across the board (and they should) but that doesn't solve the labor supply issue.

Maybe some of these grants can go towards retraining existing engineers who need to acquire new skills.

Post reply on HN