Offshoring has been occurring in engineering professions for several years now. Figures indicate an increasing rate of engineering among jobs shifted to other regions in the world. Dr. Ron Hira of RIT stated in his presentation on this topic back in 2005 “Global Outsourcing of Jobs Exacerbates US Engineering Unemployment.” Much more was written in this context, and recent figures are reason for concern. The current shortage in RF engineers in the US induces a false sense of stability.
The outsourcing phenomenon is inevitable and is also healthy. It is an evolutionary process, challenging nations around the globe with opportunities as well as risks. To survive this process, a society must adjust and maintain core technologies and those jobs that carry the ingenuity to lead the future.
Microwave engineering is core technology and will soon become essential infrastructure in many industry sectors (retail, communications, medical, automotive, etc.). We are now in the midst of a race for next generation technologies laying microwave infrastructure in all those markets. Extensive R&D efforts occurring now across the globe are also drawing a new map of global technology powers.
Education systems and governments now have a primary role in the global race for future technology dominance.
Unlike low-level jobs, where the competition is on labor cost only, RF engineers are not available everywhere and it takes time to build up local training. Supporting evidence is given in an article by Sramana Mitra, comparing offshoring in India and China. The article specifically identifies India’s difficulty to leverage its current outsourcing heaven to capture higher-level jobs. India’s education system is apparently unable to supply the growing demand. Although things may not be as bad in other offshoring destinations such as Eastern Europe, education is the soft spot of offshoring engineering jobs. You can build a production plant in six months, but it takes years to train the engineers. Recognizing this fact can direct us to the areas where we can and should take measures, adjust and respond.
The education system in North America is better spread and equipped to support this challenge than its counterparts in many other regions of the world. In addition, microwave engineering involves scientific disciplines, heavily relies on accumulated experience and requires large capital investments in anechoic facilities and test instrumentation. The United States education system is a major resource to be used to reduce the offshoring effect. Nations who will succeed in steering up their education system to respond to these global trends will get a piece of future world economy. What is the forum to work with projections of demand in various fields of engineering and provide the education system with goals to meet, while working with corporations to commit to domestic R&D centers? Would anyone dare go as far as federal subsidies for preferred fields of expertise?
Isaac Mendelson
ElectroMagneticCareers.com
Isaac@ElectroMagneticCareers.com
