TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
students computer
Hira says if tech companies really wanted American workers, companies could find them. "Enrollments are up in computer science. Enrollments are up in engineering." (AP Photo/File)

Made in America but not by Americans

BY Dave Ross  on February 1, 2013 @ 8:06 am (Updated: 10:56 am - 2/1/13 )

Part of the new immigration compromise in the Senate would allow as many as 300,000 additional foreign hi-tech workers to come to America and take high paying jobs at companies like Google and Microsoft - with salaries up to 100,000 a year.

Companies say they just can't find Americans with the right skills, which is why they need more of these H1B visas - as they're called.

But Dr. Ron Hira of the Rochester Institute of Technology and an expert on outsourcing says there's no skill gap. It's just that some tech companies are determined to depress wages.

Hira says if tech companies really wanted American workers, companies could find them. "Enrollments are up in computer science. Enrollments are up in engineering," he says.

So I called up the University of Washington and talked to Ed Lazowska who is not only a Professor of Computer Science - he's the Bill and Melinda Gates professor of computer science. He tells a different story.

In the current decade, "There will be 1.3 million available jobs in computer science. The number of graduates qualified for those jobs, produced by American universities is about half that number."

So Lazowska says there is in fact a shortage, and if we don't put more money into our computer science departments there will be an even bigger shortage.

"In my program at the University of Washington, we have to turn away about two-thirds of the students who want to major in computer science," says Lazowska.

But here's the good news.

According to Lazowska, "A student this year who has been doing well in high school and applies to the University of Washington, and heads to the computer science program can be doing an internship at Microsoft or Amazon or Google within year."

No matter which version of the immigration bill passes.

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (100)


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  • Mavila wrote...
    psyclist1962@gmail.com
    February 2, 2013 11:39 am
    Could this possibly be a commentary on our public school system?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    tech companies are determined to depress wages.
    February 3, 2013 4:12 am
    and depress they do.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    Lack of skilled Americans
    February 3, 2013 6:41 am
    Dave! You just admitted that public education in the U.S. is a FAILURE and the libs that are so prevelant in it are the reason.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HPD 5-0 wrote...
    C Gould wrote: How do they teach math these days?
    February 3, 2013 6:42 am
    No offense Chuck, but this is what I've been saying for years. Math; the bane of liberals everywhere!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    HPD 5-0: I doubt the answer is as simple as "blame the liberals"
    February 3, 2013 7:47 am
    and if it were, what do your talk show gurus suppose you should do about it? Make liberals were a yellow "L" on their coat sleeves so when you finally think they serve no purpose except target practice they will be easier to pick out from the crowd?

    No, I suspect that in the more conservative portions of the country (the geographic majority, even if only about half the total population) the school boards are elected by the same people who vote a solid red ballot every election and spend the day listening to RW talk shows. No problem. Let them vote in the leadership they want. Great to see America working.

    It's not reasonable to insist that local school boards elected by conservative voters are mysteriously controlled by "liberals". What liberals?

    Demonstrate that the red states are turning out engineering students on par with the foreign workers being imported for these high tech jobs, and that the blue states are failing to turn out the same qualified workers, and you would have a more defensible argument.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • SickofSeattleite wrote...
    Lack of skilled Americans
    February 3, 2013 7:39 am
    no doubt linked to our failed public education system we waste billions on...but the free lunch program is booming with more recipients than ever before...after all, we wouldn't want anybody to starve to death....only mentally starve to death due to lack of education and skill meanwhile porking down free corndogs and cheese pizza....viva America!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • John E wrote...
    Sick of: Feeding the hungry is not the problem. Quit blaming hungry kids.
    February 3, 2013 3:59 pm
    Being a hungry child is not a sin. Neglecting the hungry is. 13 million children are hungry and do not know where their next meal is coming from. If another country did this, you'd be calling for an invasion. and of course the hungry can't focus to learn. The real problem is what and how we are teaching them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    mooching infants
    February 3, 2013 4:47 pm
    They'll be the death of America I'll tell you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    If this is all the fault of the "free lunch program, Democrats, liberals, and welfare mothers" wrecking our education system....
    February 3, 2013 8:18 am
    then look for a vast number of highly qualified engineers emerging soon from Kansas and Texas.

    In those two states, (neither controlled by "liberals" or Democrats), science classes now label Darwinism merely another "theory" and now push, very hard, to persuade students that the universe was created by an "Intelligent Designer."

    I personally side more with the Creationists than with the Darwinists, but in my opinion the place to teach about God creating the universe is in Sunday school, (or private school), but not public school. Little old nuisance known as the First Amendment. :-)

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    US Schools are not the issue, its all about cost and access
    February 3, 2013 8:31 am
    How can I have straight As and not get accepted to a US college? Easy, because through the selection process I am competing with foreign students, I am a white male and I worked through high school so I didn't get to volunteer and do community service like my more wealthy associates. If I want to go to school for one field, I must also study unrelated fields. Now lets consider these workers coming over from India or China. While I pay close to 175000 or more for a degree. Microsoft and other high techs sponsor foreign students with their costs of between 10K to 20K. In return they can import Raji or Chu and pay them half what an american worker gets paid for the same job. Meanwhile the US focus is on building bombs and military spending and leaning on the media to call out unionized workers.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    My guess is that
    February 3, 2013 8:40 am
    If we shut the door on importing these workers that the business's who benefit from bringing in these workers would be finding and educating Americans to fill these positions.In my eyes this is a way to get workers on the cheap and keeping wages down. Existing workers in this field should see the writing on the wall and Unionize.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    Fuzzy Mathmaticians
    February 3, 2013 11:35 am
    We can't bring in educated immigrants fast enough to pay the taxes needed to sustain the freeloaders who cut in line over the last generation and who's names mostly end with "z". Build a darn wall aready and monitor them in and out!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood
    February 3, 2013 4:28 pm
    Something scares you? What has this regime done that has scared or even worried you?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    the drone thing
    February 3, 2013 4:45 pm
    That scares me. There are things I don't want done in my name. Killing innocents is one of them.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jobs4US wrote...
    A win/win solution for Microsoft and high skill Americans
    February 3, 2013 5:04 pm
    Microsoft, here's a solution to fix your skilled labor shortage - you have 6,000 unfilled jobs - call back the 5,000 high skill Americans you laid off. You have job openings, we have the skill and proven Microsoft experience. We are more than ready, willing and able to hit the ground running. We're right here, in Seattle. A perfect match Microsoft gets the talent they need and highly skilled and qualified Americans get jobs. No relocation, legal fees, visas, or training required. Congress, this is a win for you too - lower unemployment, companies fill high skill jobs with qualified Americans talent, productivity soars and companies delight buyers with products and services they need - a booming economy Congress, put an immediate hold on all legislation related to skilled labor shortages until real progress to match US companies seeking high skill talent with Americans happens. May the job fairs to hire local Seattle high skill talent Seattle based high skill jobs at Microsoft begin!
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  • Cyl wrote...
    To: Jobs 4US
    February 3, 2013 6:02 pm
    I think the solution for all this mess is for us Americans to start a movement so our Congress people take a note of the real truth. That we have skilled employees for the positions they want to fill. They do Not need to bring anybody from outside the U.S., the time to Speak-up is now. Lets all unite!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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