Hi Jordan,

I would argue then that the overwhelming reason for moving jobs overseas is not technical expertise, but cost. In the U.S. it costs so much more to hire someone with the same qualifications or capabilities. Even straight out of school. We have so many more costs involved in running a business and hiring employees here than in other countries. Benefits and working conditions are the main costs but there are more. Also, very few young, qualified technical people will work for the same amount of money in the U.S. as they will overseas. So in the long run, for a quarter of the cost, companies can get the same qualifications overseas. I don't know that recent technical graduates are better prepared and more qualified at what they do overseas than in the U.S. but it would be interesting to see some type of study on it. I recently read an article by Bill Gates (March 1, 2004) where he stated:


The top work force and the great research is still very much in the United States, but if you look 20 years ahead, there will be some challenge to that. But we are going to be doing the lion's share of our development work in the United States, because we have the best work force here, and the job opportunities for people in computer science will continue to be phenomenal.


from:

http://news.com.com/2008-7345-5167499.html

Yet I would still like to see a study that compares the technical knowledge and capability of people in high tech jobs in different areas of the world. So much has to do with individual drive, initiative, and commitment rather than education in some technical fields.

>>In this area I agree with you completely Tamar. I read a study not too long ago that compared the math and science knowledge in the 40s and 50s to today. As it turns out, students in the 40s and 50s actually were more knowledgeable in math and science than students are today. In fact, the study pointed out that college graduates today do not do as well in math and science as 9th graders did in the 40s,50s, and 60s. Given that information, I wonder if students back then were any more prepared for life then than our children are now. I know that students today do not focus as much time and energy on individual subjects but more on a 'range' of subjects with less time devoted to each. I think it does give kids a well-balanced education and better prepare them to enter life as an individual n any field or trade. However, I must also admit that because of that, 'in general' students are less prepared and less knowledgeable in their specific field than European students are.
>>Even so, in many fields the education only prepares the student to begin learning on the job. The majority of one's knowledge in any specific field is gained after a degree is attained later while working in or researching a specific field.
>
>Hi Tracy,
>in this case USA society will lose all hi-tech jobs.
>Americans should stopped wonder why big companies (ruled by people prepared for life) got easy and correct decision to move R&D jobs in places (India, China, Russia, etc.) where are available a lot young productive well trained peoples.
>Some investigations show that in R&D peoples are productive between 20-30 years old. In USA people in this age still study for the job.