Outsourcing the Competition

Why has College enrollment in the Computer Science Major been significantly low the past couple of years? It is an interesting (at least to me) field of study with a potentially large starting salary. The answer comes from a statement by my professor Dr. Charles Knutson.  He stated (I am paraphrasing) “What have parents been telling their children about technology jobs these last couple of years? … Since the mid 2000s they have been telling their children their jobs will be outsourced”.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard that very sentiment. But is it true?

It is true that Companies are continuing to increase their IT outsourcing.  You only need to google “outsourcing statistics” to find a disturbing number of articles about companies outsourcing.  However, when you look more carefully you find that the news is not all bad.  There are companies that are hesitant or even against outsourcing (take for instance The DOD).  So, who do you believe?

My answer is both. Companies will continue to outsource tech jobs.  Tech jobs will continue to be created here in the United States (or wherever you are from) as both technology advances and the market for that technology expands.  Sometimes the market will expand faster than the outsourcing and sometimes it won't.  To stay employed you only need to stay current in your skills, continue to learn new ones, and make yourself indispensable.  That way you will be less likely to be outsourced, and if you are outsourced you will still have other avenues for employment.  If that fails, try finding a job that is likely not to be outsourced (for example get a job for the DOD).  If you are worried about being outsourced just ask the same question Dilbert is trying to answer in this comic.