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Code.org: Give Us More H-1B Visas Or the Kids Get Hurt

Posted by Soulskill on from the send-in-S.W.A.T. dept.

theodp writes "Fresh off their wildly-hyped Hour of Code, Code.org headed to Washington last Thursday where H-1B visas were prescribed as the cure for U.S. kids' STEM ills. 'The availability of computer science to all kids is an issue that warrants immediate and aggressive action,' Code.org told Congress. "Comprehensive immigration reform efforts that tie H-1B visa fees to a new STEM education fund,' suggested Code.org co-founder Hadi Partovi, is 'among the policies that we feel can be changed to support the teaching and learning of more computer science in K-12 schools. We hope you can be allies in our endeavors on Capitol Hill.' Also testifying with Partovi was inventor and US FIRST founder Dean Kamen, who also pitched the benefits of H-1B visas (PDF). 'We strongly encourage Congress to pass legislation that directs H-1B visa fees to enable underserved inner-city and rural schools to participate in FIRST,' Kamen testified. 'Specifically, these fees should support efforts to enable underserved inner-city and rural schools to participate in FIRST.'"

2 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They're not even trying... by theodp · · Score: 5, Informative

    From the link to Mark Zuckerberg's FWD.us PAC: "Modifications to the guest worker program must also include an increase in the number of H-1B visas". Many of Code.org's backers are also FWD.us backers.

  2. Wish I had mod points by BigDaveyL · · Score: 4, Informative

    This type of thing is so frustrating.

    For example, I applied for a job recently that wanted 1-3 years of Linux admin experience. While I never had formal paid experience, I do have 15 years of:

    • taking several college courses in the subject matter
    • my masters project was a sys admin heavy
    • I attend the local lug and help people and have given several technical talks over the years
    • I volunteer as a sys admin at the local humane society that has 100 employees, more volunteers, processes 10,000+ animals a year and has a fully staffed vet clinic
    • I use Linux at my day job and do a bit of shell scripting there (I'm one of the go to guys it seems)
    • Use Linux as my primary OS
    • Have set up/manage servers for my own/others personal usage
    • Have attended conferences on my own dime to learn more about things
    • More things I'm probably forgetting

    Somehow, I don't know why they can't extract/find 1 year of experience in there. I can understand if they were asking for 5 or 10 years, but the bar seems low. In other words, what technical day to day tasks does someone in the job face, that I can't handle or figure out? Judge me on my actual technical merits, not something arbitrary.

    Pay is not an issue either. Their top pay would represent something like a 40% increase from what I make now, which I do not expect to get. They list no floor. I would be estatic to get even a 5%-10% increase, but can understand that I may have to take the same money or a slight pay cut because of the experience factor (which is fine since I get by well on my current salary).

    Of course, the job listing states the team is overwhelmed with work, but the job has been posted over a month. One would think they may have to re-adjust expectations in order to fill the job and get some relief.