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U.S. Programmers An Endangered Species?

Posted by michael on from the going-going-gone dept.

CommanderData writes "USA Today reports that US Programmers are an 'Endangered Species' and expects them to be 'extinct' within the next few years, replaced by offshoring and H-1B visa holders. They suggest people will manage overseas projects, become self-employed, or switch to other fields. What do my fellow code-dinosaurs plan to do before the asteroid hits?" A report on Newsforge (which is part of OSTG along with Slashdot) shows the flip side of the coin.

6 of 1,361 comments (clear)

  1. Defense Programming by kalashead · · Score: 5, Informative

    Certain areas of programming lend it self away from offshoring and H-1B visa holders. Here in the defense industry we have the confidence that our programing requires US citizens holding security clearances. This, however, does cement our job secturity. While we do not have to worry about offshoring, the vacillating DOD defense fund and nearing presidant election leave us a bit chary.

  2. Re:An idea by Zathras26 · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's a good idea -- if you can get a clearance. Getting a security clearance can be difficult for various reasons. For one thing, you have to find a company that will sponsor you (either that, or go to work for the government). For another, you have to meet the requirements for a clearance, and they've tightened those up since 9/11 (I should know -- when I applied for a clearance, the government told me they'd have to investigate me for well over a year, just because I had changed my name). I even know of one guy who's been cleared for a while but is now in jeopardy of losing his clearance because his wife is French.

    But yes -- if you can get the clearance, that's definitely an excellent way to give yourself a good dose of career security.

  3. Wow! This is breaking news! by jjohn · · Score: 5, Informative

    The death of the American Programmer has been heralded many times before. Back before spreading terror about the eminent collapse of our non-Y2K compliant world, Ed Yourdon wrote a little book of doom called The Rise and Fall of the American Programer, in which a dim future was projected for our overpaid and underworked behinds.

    He wrote this is 1993.

    Some of you will remember that the booming economy of the mid to late 90s in which being able to say "internet" landed you a tech job.

    It will take more years to evaluate the real impact of offshoring on the American Programmer. If programming is what you enjoy doing, you will always have work (although you will have to be flexible in what you program).

    As always, don't panic.

  4. Re:Well, according to the last debate... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    My wife has a Ph.D. in Computational Linguistics, and has been unemployed for 3 years. The job market has been so bad that she has pretty much given up even looking.

    When I suggested a couple of years ago that she could go back to school she just glared at me and said "27 years of school was enough". I can't believe Bush thinks "get a job" is an economic policy, which is why my wife and I are voting for Kerry this year.

    Check this out -- funny! http://www.theonion.com/election2004/news_4013.php

  5. Re:Well, according to the last debate... by DigitalRaptor · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm a Republican too, but I despise Bush. He claims to be conservative but is wholesaling America to the highest bidder.

    I really wish I could take back my vote in 2000 and give it to Gore.

    Bush is great if you're rich, own a major oil or logging company, like to breathe CO2, or look forward to the 23 rise on sea level.

    If you're the average Joe in the U.S. that doesn't buy into the whole Saddam = Terrorism garbage, then Bush eats it. I'm sick to death of his cheesy grin and empty rhetoric.

    Anyone But Bush

    John Kerry is a Douche Bag But I'm Voting For Him Anyway

    --
    Lose Weight and Feel Great with Isagenix
  6. Re:Well, according to the last debate... by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 5, Informative
    Go watch it again. That is not what that comment was in response to. It was in response to Kerry wanting to raise the minimum wage. More handouts, more government control, same old liberal crap, new packaging.

    No, YOU go watch it again.

    SCHIEFFER: Let's go to a new question, Mr. President. Two minutes. And let's continue on jobs. You know, there are all kind of statistics out there, but I want to bring it down to an individual.

    Mr. President, what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who's being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?

    BUSH: I'd say, Bob, I've got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century. And here's some help for you to go get an education. Here's some help for you to go to a community college.

    We've expanded trade adjustment assistance. We want to help pay for you to gain the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century.

    You know, there's a lot of talk about how to keep the economy growing. We talk about fiscal matters. But perhaps the best way to keep jobs here in America and to keep this economy growing is to make sure our education system works.

    I went to Washington to solve problems. And I saw a problem in the public education system in America. They were just shuffling too many kids through the system, year after year, grade after grade, without learning the basics.

    And so we said: Let's raise the standards. We're spending more money, but let's raise the standards and measure early and solve problems now, before it's too late.

    No, education is how to help the person who's lost a job. Education is how to make sure we've got a workforce that's productive and competitive.

    Got four more years, I've got more to do to continue to raise standards, to continue to reward teachers and school districts that are working, to emphasize math and science in the classrooms, to continue to expand Pell Grants to make sure that people have an opportunity to start their career with a college diploma.

    And so the person you talked to, I say, here's some help, here's some trade adjustment assistance money for you to go a community college in your neighborhood, a community college which is providing the skills necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. And that's what I would say to that person.

    A note about the Pell Grants he talks about: they are automatic, not something that is "expanded" deliberately by a president. You become eligible for Pell Grants once your income falls below a certain level. The fact that more people are getting Pell Grants than before is not something for him to be bragging about- it's a direct consequence of increased poverty during his administration. It takes a lot of gall for him to actually brag about Pell Grants expanding.