[Reader-list] 'Maybe they deserve your job'

[Shivam Vij]

"In India, most universities are state-funded, and tuition fees are
typically low, but other charges add up. At the highly subsidized St.
Stephen's College, Delhi University, for example, tuition is about
$200 a year, according to a BBC News report. But there are also
library, maintenance and other fees plus $88 a month for room and
board. Total cost, about $2,200 a year, still expensive by Indian
standards."

The figures are incorrect!
Shivam




  Maybe they deserve your job 
  India's top techies, often vastly more qualified than their American
counterparts, are dropping in to put a new spin on outsourcing

  By Susan De La Vergne 
  The Oregonian / 22 August 2004
  http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/109300326192320.xml


You probably think outsourcing is a bad word, stealing jobs from good,
hardworking Americans. You're not alone, but I see outsourcing much
differently -- more like a wake-up call.

I've been a manager of software development around the country for
more than 20 years, working in a variety of industries -- including
banking, utilities, retail and higher education. In the last few
years, I've noticed contracted workers from other countries -- usually
India -- increasingly are filling information technology jobs here.

Yes, their hourly wage is less than the U.S. equivalent, but there's
much more to outsourcing than that. I've gotten to know many Indian
contractors. Their education is often top-notch and greatly subsidized
by India's government.

The Indian contractors working here in high-tech jobs as programmers,
architects, analysts and testers are exceptionally qualified, often
bringing credentials that exceed those of their U.S. counterparts.

An undergraduate triple major in subjects such as math, chemistry and
physics is not uncommon among Indian programmers. And India's college
students focus on their studies; unlike hamburger-slinging,
office-temping Americans, working an outside job is rare. Families in
India who have the means to send their kids to college expect them to
knock themselves out to get an education, not work and party.

Somehow, even though India is a country of incredible poverty tempered
by great wealth -- palatial hotels next to crumbling shacks -- it has
put a high priority on training its best students for excellence. We
aren't doing the same in this country, and we'd better start paying
attention before it's too late.

In 10 to 15 years, 10 percent of our technology work force could be
outsourced from countries such as India, estimates the Gartner Group,
an information technology think tank headquartered in Stamford, Conn.
Today, it's more like 3 percent. Moving "offshore"

I first noticed the influx of foreign workers in the years leading up
to 2000, as the new millennium unfolded, when fixing the Y2K computer
bug was all the rage. Suddenly it was possible, even practical, to
package up whole units of programming work and assign them to groups
of Indian contractors, who often performed the work "offshore."

After that introduction businesses took advantage of the Indian
workers' eagerness to take on assignments we Americans considered
unglamorous, like dogging the Y2K bug, and their lower hourly rates.
U.S. technology professionals in these jobs locally earn on average
about $70,000 annually. The Indian salary for the same work performed
overseas during the Y2K effort was about one-fifth of that and onshore
rates about one-quarter. Since then salaries in India have increased,
but the savings compared with U.S. pay is still substantial.

So we invited the offshore staff onshore. They've been here ever
since, typically on temporary assignments that can last 18 months or
longer.

It's not unusual to find these prized workers are educated beyond a
bachelor's degree -- a master's of business administration or a
master's in chemical engineering or physics is typical. And they
usually speak at least three languages (two Indian languages and
English), often more.

In India, most universities are state-funded, and tuition fees are
typically low, but other charges add up. At the highly subsidized St.
Stephen's College, Delhi University, for example, tuition is about
$200 a year, according to a BBC News report. But there are also
library, maintenance and other fees plus $88 a month for room and
board. Total cost, about $2,200 a year, still expensive by Indian
standards.

Beyond the academics, some Indian contracting firms with a global
presence send their employees to work in many different countries --
Western Europe and Asia as well as the United States. So in addition
to the academic preparation, Indian contractors enjoy the broader
experience of working in several cultures.

Some Portland experiences 

Some of the Indians I work with in Portland agreed to talk about their
experiences if I used just their first names, since their companies
have asked them to refrain from interviews.

Venkat is a young man, originally from Chennai, India, who has a
bachelor's degree in electronics and a master's in computer
applications from Bharathidasan University.

He's been working in the United States for nearly two years and also
has worked in Paris and Japan, as well as his home country.

"It's more professional and productive here in the U.S. than in
Paris," Venkat says. "In Paris they have more fun at the office."

Ravi, a contractor who's also been in the United States for about two
years, said he finished college when he was 24. He's a triple major
and earned a master's in chemistry and an M.B.A. Here in the United
States, he's a technical lead on integrated software projects.

In India, office hours for technology professionals are typically 8
a.m. to 8 p.m., five days a week. He likes it better here, clocking
out at 6 p.m.

Shobha is a forthright young woman, now on her third work assignment
in the United States. She, too, has similar credentials -- a triple
major (physics, chemistry, math) and a master's in computer
applications from Bangalore University. She, too, was 24 when she
finished college.

Shobha says she and others like her accomplish so much so early
because, in India, college students don't hold jobs while in school.
They're expected to concentrate on their studies, and parents
sometimes make great financial sacrifices to ensure their academically
qualified students focus exclusively on their education.

The people we meet here, in our information technology jobs, are
usually among the best qualified and prepared, within India's top 10
percent to 15 percent. Still, given India's enormous population --
more than 1 billion people -- even that top tier of performers makes
up a large and talented pool of people entering the global job market.
While they enjoy their U.S. experience, they miss home. Venkat is
leaving Portland in a few weeks for India and says he'll attempt to
leave the office there at a reasonable hour, something more like 6
instead of 8 p.m.

"Good luck," Ravi laughs. "Tell me how it goes!" 


Complicated questions 

We depend on the work of others, and increasingly that means we rely
on a global work force. As much as we might want to, there's no
denying that. The term outsourcing invites misgivings. Are we trading
away our jobs and somehow depleting our economy? Or theirs?

Are we compromising delivery standards for a cheaper price? Should we
legislate boundaries to corral jobs and halt cheaper imports? These
are complicated questions.

My experience with foreign contractors tells me this: In an economy
noted for its poverty levels, India's emphasis on higher education for
qualified students is a profound statement of its commitment to the
future. In our economy, noted for its prosperity and possessions,
higher education doesn't get the same emphasis.

Does this make any sense? 

We should be growing our own best talent, making their academic
experience just as competitive and accessible. That doesn't mean we
shouldn't welcome the intellectual range and preparedness of
technology professionals from India and other countries, opening our
workplaces to their talent.

It's about time we paid attention. 

(Kathleen Blythe, a researcher for The Oregonian, contributed to this story.)