Obama Administration Makes Unverifiable Claim of 545,000 IT Job Openings; H-1B Visa Boosting Likely

[OhioChick]

Obama Administration Makes Unverifiable Claim of 545,000 IT Job Openings; H-1B Visa Boosting Likely Culprit

Posted on March 11, 2015

Although the plural of anecdote is not data, we’ve found Slashdot over the years to provide reliable early warnings of what were to become pervasive practices in the US employment market. For instance, for well over a decade, Slashdot has regularly featured reader-submitted articles along the lines of “I’m a new graduate in IT and can’t find an entry-level job.”

The oldsters would explain how yes, none of the large and hardly any mid-sized companies were willing to train people. They’d send the yeoman work that used to be how young professionals learned their trade offshore. Of course, that meant that the US was choosing to give up its leadership position in computer science by refusing to develop the next generation of professionals, but no one seemed to care much about that. The seasoned types would explain to the stranded aspirant how to cobble together assignments to try to develop a decent skill set.

That pattern has been replicated in other professions, in particular law and accounting. So how will we have a service industry in 15 years with no experienced service professionals? The only consolation is that some of those people over 65 who need for financial reasons to keep working may have higher odds than they ought to, if they are in one of these hollowed-out fields, of continuing to find work.

Snip~The White House has established a $100 million program that endorses fast-track, boot camp IT training efforts and other four-year degree alternatives. But this plan is drawing criticism because of the underlying message it sends in the H-1B battle. The federal program, called TechHire, will get its money from H-1B visa fees, and the major users of this visa are IT services firms that outsource jobs. Another source of controversy will be the White House’s assertion that there are 545,000 unfilled IT jobs. It has not explained how it arrived at this number, but the estimate will likely be used as a talking point by lawmakers seeking to raise the H-1B cap.

More: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/03/obama-administration-makes-unverifiable-claim-545000-job-openings-h1b-visa-boosting-likely-culprit.html

[msongs]

1. is Obama running for president....of India now? nt

[Eko]

2. Making claims on a unverified claim.

You could be right, but you are not helping your cause, at least not to me, not yet.

[Skittles]

3. oh my god I am SO SHOCKED

*NOT*

just more proof who they are looking out for

[antigop]

4. k&r nt

[ChromeFoundry]

5. Here's a better idea.

Abolish the H-1b program. Recent grads get hired. Problem solved.

[antigop]

6. hey, what about older workers who have been fired? nt

[DavidDvorkin]

7. Yes!

[Stryst]

8. Economy crashes immediatly after I graduate college

and I spent six years getting told that I was over qualified for the service jobs I was forced to look for. Now We're totally going to have tech jobs; but anyone who's been unemployed for several years over during the recession is going to be "unemployable" so companies are going to shrug and say "There's not enough qualified American workers. Lets offer the jobs in India at half the pay!"

[area51]

9. Hillary appears to love H1-Bs.