USA's Engineering blues

USA's Engineering blues

I read a recent news burp
(http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/12372509.htm) about the engineering
shortage with more than a little amusement. For all the hand-wringing and
whining, they still aren't accurately identifying the problem, just mouthing
politically correct drivel once again. Some of the peoples' conclusions on what
to do about it are more than a little frightening as well. "Like most U.S.
engineering schools, Georgia Tech has more research positions available than it
has U.S. citizen applicants. The school's president, G. Wayne Clough,
participated in a national summit on innovation earlier this year that yielded a
battle plan called Innovate America. Its top recommendation was to build the
base of scientists and engineers in the United States, identifying them as the
nation's key innovation asset." Eek! That's scary! Being identified as a
national asset also can mean being singled out for special 'treatment' and
restrictions. Remember the 'Pakleds' who kidnapped Jeordy on Star Trek-TNG?

First, they don't show any sign of knowing why a student would take an
engineering career. They don't recognize it's because he wants to make the world
a better place, to improve things, to fix crap products he's encountered all
through his young life, to build a lasting monument to his life and do it with a
good quality of life. Look at all the achievements and marvels the engineers
have produced over the last 100 years. Does the common man know any of the names
of those who made it possible? No... maybe the name of the company, but not the
people. Why not? Too many politicians and corporate execs are jealous of the
limelight and don't want to share.

Engineers and scientists are regarded by them as necessary evils, to be used
only as needed, kept locked in a back room and then discarded, allowing the high
and mighty to suck maximum publicity from their accomplishments without having
to give any recognition to those who did the planning, skull sweat, innovation,
bench work, testing and documentation that made it possible. Back when
Hewlett-Packard was a good company, they did recognize their tech people for
their achievements, even published a regular magazine where the tech peoples'
contributions were acknowledged. They even put their pictures at the end of the
articles. It was great. But when the suits took over, it stopped. Too expensive,
they said. Hah. And so the exodus began. It's the same at most non-engineer
owned companies in the USA.

The article moans and groans, but doesn't offer any viable solutions, just
non-threatening noises the corporate execs and politicians feel comfortable
with. One workable solution they could have put forward is to increase the pay!
Over the last 40 years, the average engineer's pay scale has just barely kept up
with inflation, while the corporate execs have more than quadrupled that. You'd
think if there's a shortage of engineers in the companies, their pay increases
would reflect that. But, as long as corporate America can get the engineering
done overseas or by imported H1-B visa'd foreign engineers, there's no reason to
pay the US engineers more.

There's only one area of engineering employment that isn't affected by this
trend, defense industries. Can't use foreign nationals for that. Must be US
citizens. And I can tell you now, all of these companies are scrambling to find
people to do the work. But... there aren't many people willing to put up with
all the bull*** that entails. Security clearances, nasty relocations (for God's
sake! Who wants to live in San Diego or Tucson?), no chance to quit and work for
a competitor, low pay, absolutely no recognition, high risk of false
imprisonment for up to three years in extended extreme solitary confinement
before ever getting a trial, bad retirement prospects and last but certainly not
least, knowing that what they work on will be used to maim, kill and terrorize
men, women and children of other countries so big oil companies can stay in
control of the world economy.

I fear eventually engineers will be drafted to work on defense projects. They
may even stoop to drafting likely high school graduates, educating them, then
giving the most capable ones a forced 20 or 30 year hitch in the military.

US engineers aren't beans. They are people, usually quite intelligent people. A
lot smarter than most of the doofus execs and politicians. And they have the
same hopes, dreams of anyone. They want good working conditions, recognition,
pay, living locale and to do worthwhile projects. They don't want their efforts
to make idiots look good while being kept in a locked back room treated like
mushrooms.
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