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I was referring to proposals to "staple a green card" to STEM degrees (currently in the Senate), not the current reality which I will agree is very daunting. h

by geebee 14y ago

I was referring to proposals to "staple a green card" to STEM degrees (currently in the Senate), not the current reality which I will agree is very daunting. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/opinion/visas-for-scientists-with-a-catch.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/opinion/visas-for-scientis... In spite of my misgivings about what I think is a contrived shortage, I would support this legislation, mainly because I think it is extremely destructive to kick out highly educated people who have studied at US universities, and I'd much rather see green cards than visas that I think are indentured in nature. It does frustrate me, though, to see this happening only in science and engineering. Why STEM? Why not law, or medicine, or even trades like plumbing? I just paid $100 an hour for a plumber (and want to be sure I'm not perceived as complaining, plumbers are skilled workers who deserve good compensation). I think it failed more because of political bickering than anything else.

intended 14y ago
I can at least speak about law - this link showed up on HN a few days ago - Suicide prices and the coming crisis at big law firms. http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/10/suicide-prices-the-coming-crisis-at-big-law-firms/ http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/10/suicide-prices-the-comi... Law firms have been in crisis for at least several years from what I know. I even remember having to go through a prospectus for a legal services outsourcing firm at work a while back. Finance - I know for a fact that post 2008 a large number of firms went bust, and the recession was brutal - lots of people returned to their home countries after finding no work. And it was the financial sector that added to the STEM shortage by hoovering up those students. Science and Math types that can demonstrate good math and organizational ability are the ideal rank and file for Financial modeling and its related task set. On top of that there is no shortage of natural finance types either. S0 those two sections of the economy are almost overstaffed, and one of those sections is dying. With regards to plumbing - thats a guild oriented job and aside from the usual complaints about collusion and what not, its also expensive because its likely not that attractive. I think of all the reasons, STEM poaching by other industries was probably one of the larger issues which should be reduced now. Still, your system is strongly aimed at attracting and retaining the best talent in the world. The issues people are complaining about are because they feel job searches have become a zero sum game - the presence of a competitor reduces the size of the pie for everyone. The solution is to make more pies, but that is beyond my ability to detail out.

by geebee 14y ago

intended 14y ago

I can at least speak about law - this link showed up on HN a few days ago - Suicide prices and the coming crisis at big law firms. http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/10/suicide-prices-the-coming-crisis-at-big-law-firms/ http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2012/10/suicide-prices-the-comi... Law firms have been in crisis for at least several years from what I know. I even remember having to go through a prospectus for a legal services outsourcing firm at work a while back. Finance - I know for a fact that post 2008 a large number of firms went bust, and the recession was brutal - lots of people returned to their home countries after finding no work. And it was the financial sector that added to the STEM shortage by hoovering up those students. Science and Math types that can demonstrate good math and organizational ability are the ideal rank and file for Financial modeling and its related task set. On top of that there is no shortage of natural finance types either. S0 those two sections of the economy are almost overstaffed, and one of those sections is dying. With regards to plumbing - thats a guild oriented job and aside from the usual complaints about collusion and what not, its also expensive because its likely not that attractive. I think of all the reasons, STEM poaching by other industries was probably one of the larger issues which should be reduced now. Still, your system is strongly aimed at attracting and retaining the best talent in the world. The issues people are complaining about are because they feel job searches have become a zero sum game - the presence of a competitor reduces the size of the pie for everyone. The solution is to make more pies, but that is beyond my ability to detail out.