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The "real" challenge technology presents isn't that it replaces workers, but rather displaces them.
The robots perform tasks that humans previously performed. The fear is that they are replacing human jobs, eliminating work in distribution centers and elsewhere in the economy. It is not hard to imagine that technology might be a major factor causing persistent unemployment today and threatening “more to come.”
Surprisingly, the managers of distribution centers and supply chains see things rather differently: in surveys they report that they can’t hire enough workers, at least not enough workers who have the necessary skills to deal with new technology. “Supply chain” is the term for the systems used to move products from suppliers to customers. Warehouse robots are not the first technology taking over some of the tasks of supply chain workers, nor are they even seen as the most important technology affecting the industry today.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/04/scarce-skills-not-scarce-jobs/390789/
(Score: 2) by TheGratefulNet on Thursday April 30 2015, @12:01AM
I appreciate what you wrote.
the job I was referring to was an open-ended contract that was supposed to 'go perm' after the first 6mos. I was there quite a bit beyond 6mos and all indications were that all of us, eventually, would be offered a f/t 'upgrade'. we just have to sit tight and wait for the reqs to open.
that was what we were told and we tried to believe it.
we were lied to and I was the first to find this out, the hard way. but I had no reason to believe - at the time up to that point - that they were not telling the truth and that they did intend to bring us all onboard when they could.
and it does not seem to matter that I (already do) put down 'contractor' as my job title; they still see me coming and going and they make a red flag out of a truly non-issue. maybe they just say its an issue since its never the 'right cultural fit' anymore (rolls eyes). they have to say something to brush you off. job-hopper is so much less personal, I guess, so if the candidate has any 'hopping' history at all - you can always use that convenient excuse for not hiring him.
the bay are companies used to be cool and they used to look for innovators. now, they are labor mills looking for bottom-priced bulk labor to do things 'very fast' and nothing else really matters. qa is skipped, docs are horrible, planning does not happen, testing is done by end users post-purchase and real innovation is gone from the bay area, overall. if you are a yes-man and can memorize compsci101, you can get hired. if you have experience and are 'different' from the cookie-cutter mold they all want now, you could go die in a corner; just not in their corner.
I laugh at the comedy series 'silicon valley' but not because its funny; but because the 'free spirits' it shows is NOT what silicon valley (today) wants. silicon valley wants robots that have human skin and will do what they are told and not really be an out-of-box thinker. independant thought gets you booted or not even considered.
(sorry for the longish rant but its a highly personal issue to me, being very invested in this area of the country).
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Thursday April 30 2015, @12:34AM
I wonder if you'd do better moving to a different area of the country which isn't quite as cutthroat as the Bay Area; perhaps Portland, Seattle, SLC, DC, etc.
(Score: 2) by Magic Oddball on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:43AM
While it was a decade ago, what I 'saw' through dating a guy living in DC indicated it's no better there — just more straight-laced/uptight and kind of politician-style fake. It would also be a bad fit if TheGratefulNet has an aversion to freezing cold winters, high-humidity hot summers, smog or cigarette smoke.
I keep seeing people mention Texas as a good option for Californians in the tech industry looking for work, though, so that might be worth consideration. It's reportedly going through a huge development boom in addition to the substantial chunk of the tech industry that's been there for the past few decades.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Thursday April 30 2015, @02:13PM
DC is supposedly a lot more hip than it was a decade ago. Also, many of the engineering jobs in the DC area are government-related, and require a security clearance, and generally require workers to be US Citizens. That excludes a lot of competition that you'll find in Silicon Valley. Yes, it's probably more straight-laced than, say, Berkeley, but it's not like engineers are running around in suits and ties. I have no idea what you mean by "politician-style fake"; yes, the politicians in the Capitol are fake, but we're talking about engineering jobs here, not political positions.
As for the weather, you've got to be kidding. Winters in DC are mild; look at a friggin' map. If you want freezing winters, you go to Boston. Summers are not hot either; again, look at a map. If you want high-humidity hot summers, go to Atlanta or farther south to Florida. Smog? California's cities top the charts for smog pollution; the east coast cities do not.
(Score: 1) by klondike0 on Thursday April 30 2015, @03:52AM
It sounds to me like you have passion for what you do -- focus on that instead of feelings of rejection / deception. Contracting can be great if you do it on your terms, I've always found that if a company flakes on the promised 'upgrade', it is time to get a wider perspective. Instead of having them try to bend you over further and widen something else.
Personally, I don't trust any company further than I can throw its imaginary ass but I love the challenge of figuring out new(ish) stuff. But also, since I am easily attached to projects and am easily frustrated by managers that can't handle any level of detail, I figure if they want to sally forth without me -- I am so much the better for it.
I hope you find the best of all possible worlds, even if it is in the bay area