Average worker's tech skills not keeping pace
Average worker's tech skills not keeping pace
Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 10:36 AM
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U.S. multinational corporations are "investing heavily" to train workers in
India and China so that these countries will "remain competitive in the
global marketplace." These corporations are very dismayed that US students
shun technical majors because they don't want to end up jobless like their
parents (kids are so spoiled these days!). Corporations are even more
frustrated that the American workers they fired refuse to upgrade their
skills by spending their unemployment checks on expensive classes.
This article makes it clear that multinational companies have decided that
they must outsource their work to the highly skilled people they have
invested in and trained in India and China. I assume most of the other work
can be done by the geniuses that came here on H-1B and L-1 visas.
McDonald's is having financial difficulties but they are still keeping their
Hamburger University in Illinois open. Perhaps high-tech companies could use
them as an example of corporate responsibility. Until then, you can get
training for a new career at:
http://www.mcdonalds.com/corporate/careers/hambuniv/
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/4092122.htm
Posted on Tue, Sep. 17, 2002
Average worker's tech skills not keeping pace
By Virginia Dudek
Dallas Morning News
Although unemployment continues to make headlines, the glut in information
technology workers is only temporary, experts say. Once the economy
improves, demand for IT skills will rise again.
But will the work force be ready?
Already employers are finding a persistent lack of qualified applicants
trained in programs such as Oracle and PeopleSoft.
The shortages seem most critical in these high-end areas, but a report
released in June by the National Policy Association said that the average
worker will not be able to compete in a job market in which industries
increasingly require technology-savvy workers at all levels.
``Rather than a worker gap, there is a skills gap,'' said James Auerbach,
senior vice president at the nonprofit research organization. ``When the
recovery starts, we will have the same shortage we did two to three years
ago.''
The report, ``Building a Digital Workforce: Confronting the Crisis,'' was
released by the Digital Economic Opportunity Committee. The committee was
established by the association last year to address the skills shortage in
the information age economy.
The committee is working with business, labor, education, government and
nonprofits to develop ongoing training programs to help the average
worker -- not just the most technical.
``We're trying to establish programs that are not subject to economic
vagaries and government funding cuts,'' Auerbach said.
The report details successful programs that represent partnerships among
business, labor and government, but Auerbach said all sectors need to do
more.
``Employees have to go back to school all the time to keep up to date and
employable,'' he said. ``Training is not a one-time thing but must be
continual.''
Ana Kilday, vice president of staffing at Affiliated Computer Services in
Dallas, said her company spends more time evaluating the large number of
candidates vying for fewer jobs.
``Demand has softened, and there is more availability of IT skill sets, but
we do not see the same level of availability in all market segments,'' she
said. ``There are still IT market segments where the demand for the desired
skills is greater than the supply.''
Even though employers can now afford to be choosy when reviewing candidates,
the outlook for workers is improving, said John Reed, metro market manager
of consulting services at RHI Consulting Inc. in Dallas. ``The most
successful candidates have years of experience and have been working for
large companies,'' he said.
Jack Scott, vice president and chief information officer at The viaLink
Company, an electronic commerce service firm in Dallas, echoes concerns
about the shortage of technical job candidates at the high end.
``From an academic standpoint, there has been a steady decline over the last
decade in the number of undergraduates and advance-degreed graduates in the
U.S. with technical proficiency,'' said Scott, a technical adviser on
curriculum for the School of Technology at Claremont Graduate University.
``There are fewer and fewer graduates with computer science degrees. As we
become more technologically entwined, where is the next generation coming
from?''
Scott said computer science training is not as ``sexy'' to students as it
was during the high-tech wave of the 1980s and 1990s.
In addition, companies such as IBM and Microsoft expect workers to pay their
dues in ``farm'' programs designed to give workers the skills the company
demands.
Rather than wait, students are choosing general business careers, where they
see a chance for more rapid advancement.
Scott also notes that for 10 years, there has been a shift in technological
expertise away from the United States.
The governments of India and China, with assistance from U.S. multinational
corporations, are investing heavily to develop home-grown technical skills
so that their countries remain competitive in the global marketplace.
``Ten to 15 years ago, it was unheard of to talk about offshore
development,'' he said.
Training issues aside, Scott said employers do have control over the quality
of talent they attract. All it takes is marketing.
``I try to give (job candidates) something that resonates with their soul,''
he said. ``I have never had a problem finding good people.''
© 2001 siliconvalley and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/local/sfl-917mcdonalds.story?coll=sfla%2Dbusiness%2Dfront
Disappointing sales prompt McDonald's warning on profits; stock at 7-year
low
By Dave Carpenter
Associated Press
September 17, 2002, 12:56 PM EDT
CHICAGO -- McDonald's Corp. said Tuesday that weaker-than-expected sales in
the United States and Europe this summer have prompted it to reduce its
estimate of 2002 profits, dropping its stock to a seven-year low.
The hamburger giant also said it will slow the pace of new restaurant
openings abroad in connection with a U.S. initiative that entails adding
lower-priced items, renovating older restaurants and focusing on improving
service.
The announcement underscored McDonald's continuing struggle with a sales
slump at its 13,200 restaurants in the United States, where the
proliferation of fast-food and casual-dining competition in recent years has
eroded its sales and market share.
The company, based in suburban Oak Brook, said it is cutting its full-year
earnings forecast to $1.43 per share or more, citing flat sales in July and
August and a more cautious outlook for the fourth quarter.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial/First Call had estimated $1.49 per
share.
It pegged third-quarter earnings at 38 cents to 39 cents a share, virtually
unchanged from the 38-cent figure of a year ago. Wall Street analysts were
anticipating 42 cents a share.
McDonald's shares fell $2.39, or 11 percent, to $19.30 in early afternoon
trading on the New York Stock Exchange _ the lowest level since October
1995.
McDonald's hopes to jump-start U.S. sales and its declining stock price with
a plan that initially calls for selling two sandwiches _ the Big 'N' Tasty
and McChicken _ for $1 each next month, followed by an eight-item ``dollar
menu'' in November.
The program also will involve customer service initiatives, particularly
during the lunchtime rush, and investments in its restaurant facilities
ranging from new signs to improved drive-throughs to complete remodelings.
The company also will reduce its share buyback program to $500 million in
2003, said Jack Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer.
___
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