Driving with Four Bald Tires on the Information Superhighway

The dearth of competent computer specialists in the United States has led to two competing and contradictory solutions. The first involves increasing H-1B visas, reserved for professionals from overseas who have secured a job in the United States, in an attempt to boost the labor force from outside the country. The second is a push to better educate Americans in information technology and to encourage them to enter the field of computer science. This second option is particularly directed a women and minorities in an attempt to broaden and diversify the labor pool.

On the one hand, America cannot afford to close its doors to immigration, particularly at a time when our own citizens are not taking the lead in filling positions vital to our economy. Nevertheless, Americans cannot stand idly by while the rest of the world continues to push ahead of us in the information sector. There should be a balance, and it should favor homegrown innovation in the long term. America should take the lead in technological innovation, and it cannot hope to do so without a serious commitment to education.

America's lack of foresight is precisely the reason why we lag behind other countries in training IT professionals. My own experience in high school, and that of many people I know, is a case in point. The one computer related class I was required to take was essentially a typing class. Because I already knew how to type, the class was completely useless to me. The class may have been useful for those who did not know how to type, but even in that case it provided little else to help them increase their knowledge of the growing field of computer science. Classes like these should be eliminated in favor of sustained education from pre-school to college that teaches children the cutting edge of computer science. Even non-professionals should have a functioning knowledge of programming and web design, both of which have become necessary skills in a variety of non-IT fields.

Luckily, my chosen field of journalism is probably not in as much danger of outsourcing as IT jobs are. Good journalism requires face-to-face communication that cannot be duplicated by phoning it in from Bangalore. Still, with the advent of digital journalism and the ease of communication, some outlets may choose to hire stringers or foreign correspondants who already live in a given country, rather than sending out field reporters. Being a foreign correspondant is one of my dreams, so this might be a problem. The only thing I can do to prevent that is to truly distinguish myself through my writing.

With today's open field, it is more possible than ever to publish work, though. This blog and millions like it are a clear indication of that fact. I am confident enough in my own ability and in my goals as a journalist to not worry about outsourcing in my field. Perhaps if America stepped up to the plate and delivered on its promise in terms of educating its young people, IT professionals would not have to worry about the limits on H-1B visas, and could focus instead on turning out the best product that American know-how can offer.