SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The idea that American workers are being left in the dust because they lack technological savvy does not stand up to scrutiny. Our focus should be on coordination and communication between workers and employers.
Technology enthusiasts and entrepreneurs are among the loudest voices declaiming this conventional wisdom (see "The Hunt for Qualified Workers").
Two recent developments have heightened debate over the idea of a "skills gap": an unemployment rate below 5 percent, and the growing fear that automation will render less-skilled workers permanently unemployable.
Proponents of the idea tell an intuitively appealing story: information technology has hit American firms like a whirlwind, intensifying demand for technical skills and leaving unprepared American workers in the dust. The mismatch between high employer requirements and low employee skills leads to bad outcomes such as high unemployment and slow economic growth.
The problem is, when we look closely at the data, this story doesn't match the facts. What's more, this view of the nation's economic challenges distracts us from more productive ways of thinking about skills and economic growth while promoting unproductive hand-wringing and a blinkered focus on only the supply side of the labor market—that is, the workers.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/608707/the-myth-of-the-skills-gap/
What do you think, is there a shortage of skilled workers ??
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 25 2017, @06:10PM (4 children)
If they can't figure it out, they don't need the work done that badly. Why is it always the employees responsibility to train for possible job openings from employers too cheap to cover the costs?
Of they need the work done, they have to either provide the training or better pay. If better pay doesn't work, then they have to provide training as the market has spoken.
Funny how the market is only working when it screws employees, otherwise it's a serious problem.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Grishnakh on Friday August 25 2017, @07:03PM (2 children)
The other factor is location. I see a lot of job ads from companies in out-of-the way places like Indianapolis, Erie PA, Wisconsin, etc. You can get locals to work in places like that, but it's hard to entice people to move from out-of-state for a job in places like that which requires significant skills and experience. Not only is the location not terribly attractive to most people, but there's a huge danger that the job won't work out, and now you're stuck there or have to pay large moving expenses out-of-pocket to go someplace else for another job (and don't forget the cost of breaking your lease).
This isn't such a problem if you offer a signing bonus and relocation reimbursement or bonus, like they used to do during the dot-com boom, since some candidates would be happy to try a different location esp. when the housing cost is lower and it's not as crowded as the urban centers, but these days it's hard to find companies offering this stuff, so they sit around wondering why they can't get anyone to interview for their job in BFE. They probably don't even want to pay to fly them there for an interview.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 26 2017, @12:04AM
Hell I applied at many places like that. Met 99% of their qualifications. Out of 100 or so maybe 10 called back. They are setting themselves up to hire H1B. They don't 'say' it but it is pretty obvious. I am not stupid. But why did they waste my time...
I would even pay out of pocket to move. Its actually semi cheap to move if you box it up yourself which is not that hard.
They probably don't even want to pay to fly them there for an interview.
They do not even call you. I saw one that was some obscure variant of BASIC for a particular machine in the middle of nowhere. They wanted local candidates only. Yeah good luck with that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 26 2017, @04:53PM
Suppose you move from NYC to Melbourne, FL. You take a job at Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Thales, DRS, Harris, or one of the many cybersecurity start-ups. (nerdy defense contractor work)
Half a year later, you realize that you hate your boss. Somehow, you also manage to get rejected by all the other local companies. You move back to NYC.
You probably come out ahead based on cost of living. Just the taxes alone might do that. Just the rent alone might do that. Put those together though, along with all the other price differences, and you'll easily cover the moving expenses.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Saturday August 26 2017, @01:29PM
The meta observation is they pretend to want an employee relationship involving long tenure, playing the pyramid game of promotions, training, but when the rubber meets the road, they really want short term pre-trained contractors.
The solution seems obvious... fix the regulation thats confusing the marketplace at the high end, and at the low end, if want short term contractors, become a contractor.