More US jobs in trouble??

[srkruzich]

Its a sad state our educational system is in.  It is also causing our jobs to disappear, you cannot blame companies for hiring people from overseas when thats where the talent is. 


http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/09/25/america-losing-science-brainpower-advantage/?test=faces

The United States' ability to compete globally in science and technology is on a "perilous path," said a new report delivered Sept. 23 on Capitol Hill to a bipartisan group of policymakers, industry leaders, and academics.

American students continue to perform poorly in math and science compared to their counterparts abroad, the report claims. Though the United States is still a leader in innovation and produces a disproportionate share of the world's wealth, other countries such as China are investing heavily in research and education and, according to the new report, threatening America's competitiveness.

"At a time when jobs are our foremost concern in the United States, keeping our brainpower advantage is a good way to keep new jobs coming," said Sen. Lamar Alexander R-Tenn.

The group that met Thursday was originally brought together in 2005 by a bipartisan request from Congress to assess the U.S.'s competitiveness and to recommend a path for the future. They concluded that the health of the American economy and the creation of jobs depend on innovation.

"We've known for some time that science research is a firm foundation for economic growth," Rep. Rush Holt D-N.J. said on Thursday. "Now we're really at a critical moment."




"Rising Above the Gathering Storm," a report written by this group and sponsored by the National Academies in 2005, outlined the problems facing the U.S., including stagnated federal research funding and a dysfunctional educational system. 

It listed 20 recommendations meant to improve the American education system, double federal spending on basic research, encourage more people to pursue careers in science and engineering, and reform patent, immigration, and litigation policies.

Revisiting this original report five years later, the members of the Gathering Storm committee have now upgraded the storm to an approaching Category 5 hurricane.

"The outlook for America to compete for quality jobs has further deteriorated over the past five years," according to the new report.

Only 4 of the top 10 companies receiving U.S. patents in 2009 were American companies. Most of General Electric Co.'s research and development personnel are located outside of the U.S., and 77 percent of global firms surveyed said they will build new research and development facilities in China and India.

"China graduated more English-speaking engineers last year than we did," said Rep. Frank Wolf,  R-Va. "The United States' share of high-tech exports has fallen from 21 to 14 percent, while China's rose from 7 to 20 percent."

"They're doing better than we are," Wolf added.

The new report again stressed the importance of education. Though most of the world's top universities are located in the United States, the World Economic Forum ranks the U.S. 48th in math and science education. American test scores in these subjects have changed little over the last 40 years. Nearly one-third of American adults don't know how long it takes the Earth to revolve around the Sun, according to the National Science Board.

Some progress has been made in basic research funding. The America COMPETES Act, passed in 2007, opened the door for new funding for major government agencies such as the National Science Foundation and for the new agency ARPA-E devoted to high-risk, high-reward energy research. Many of these efforts were funded by money from the 2009 economic stimulus bill.

This stimulus funding is now largely used up, and the America COMPETES Act expires this year. Thursday's advocates for science called on the Senate to pass a reauthorization of a revised version of the COMPETES bill that allows federal spending for basic research to continue to increase.

"This is a marathon, not a sprint," said Norman Augustine, former chairman and chief executive of the Lockheed Martin Corporation. "Just running fast, we'll stay in the same place. We have to run really fast."

[flo]

our education is not always the case.  My daughter is a medical transcriptionist working out of her home.  She has been with this company 3 years.  Yesterday was her last day because that particular hospital and doctors (in Missouri) is sending all their transcription to India.  Not because of lack of education or someone to do their transcription, but BECAUSE OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Now I ask you, if someone in India gets sick and needs a doctor, are they going to come patranize the doctors and hospitals in Missouri ??  Might add, she also lost another job some years back because that account decided to send their work over there. 

[srkruzich]

our education is not always the case.  My daughter is a medical transcriptionist working out of her home.  She has been with this company 3 years.  Yesterday was her last day because that particular hospital and doctors (in Missouri) is sending all their transcription to India.  Not because of lack of education or someone to do their transcription, but BECAUSE OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. Now I ask you, if someone in India gets sick and needs a doctor, are they going to come patranize the doctors and hospitals in Missouri ??  Might add, she also lost another job some years back because that account decided to send their work over there.  

Well quite frankly flo, this was seen coming long ago too.  The india transcription services aren't gong to be doing it for long. Most docs are on wireless computers now and most of the records are digitally imputed at the time of the appointment.  They have essentially eliminated the need for transcription.  Even the recordings docs make on tape are being imputed by voice recognition software which automatically enters it into a document.  Most likely all that requires now is being formatted and anyone can format a document and correct spelling errors ect and it doesn't require a transcriptionist anymore.

It is a sign of the times.  My sister was a contract transcriptionist.  But one of the reasons it is subbed out to india is the cost.  Most transcriptionists here would not work for what they will in india.   No difference in the abilities, so it makes for docs to go to the lowest contractor out there.   Business is business.

What the folks that do this type of work need to do to keep their jobs is offer something more with their service.  I don't know what to offer.... just make their service something that a doctor would use over sending it to someone who can do it cheaper.

[Diane Amberg]

Uh, married docs could get in trouble at home for using those "extra" services.

[srkruzich]

Uh, married docs could get in trouble at home for using those "extra" services.

I guess theres a joke there but it actually went over my head.   Oh well, i'm not all that sharp today. 

I do know that the future will require everyone to constantly improve their skills in order to keep their jobs.  I did it for 20 some odd years in IT industry. 

That is one of the major reasons i was never unemployed during the tough times.   As long as you are ahead of your competition in skillsets, making yourself worth something to your employer, they will never lay you off or ship your job overseas.