Discussion on:

IT job cuts: Is the end finally in sight?

This is not the first time someone at TechRepublic has written an article about the kulling of IT. It's starting to sound as though each article written is intended to confirm thr death of IT, which is ironic given that TechRepublic kind of relies on the industry.

Let's kill off IT in house, move to the cloud immediately giving all the control to some call centre that neither cares or knows the business operations and completely destroy end user confidence and service and possibly even have this reflect on the way the end users ultimately respond to the businesses real customers.

Sorry for the rant but would rather read about new Tech insight than kulling.

The diease is not IT or IT folks but the industry and wrong perception given by vendors. Many ignorant folks still think IT can replace human and IT can be automated to such that they don't need IT folks.
Without IT, current business model, cannot generate revenue unless all people go back to pencil and paper. I think many forgotten how to write given the paper and pencil.

Then why are the most senior and experienced the first jobs on the chopping block?
Doesn't make much sense does it?

"Because IT is core to business, those working in the sector tend to feel the immediate benefit of any increase in business confidence." This statement is very true but all other functions in the business does not make IT feel core rather 2nd class citizens.

IT put in alot of after hours support to keep even support BU running. Business laments that IT has a high turn over rate. Irregardless of bad times, employers really need to change their view about IT. It is no longer a support function but a core critical part that makes business run.

While I agree that business tends to make IT 2nd class, I don't think many IT folks do much to help the situation. They see IT as the godsend to companies and expect to be treated that way. So often, they fail to understand the business and the business needs. It's definitely a two way street.

compared to the business types who see it as a one way street. The number of IT people who don't think buiness need overrides technical who have power in IT and or business. Don't have to take your mittens off to count them...

We are constantly being told that IT professionals are in high demand despite of crisis, that there is acute and chronic impending talent shortage, crisis, crunch, and whatnot.

Now- where did these job cuts came all of the sudden?

IT has been slashed so much over the years. They did the out sourcing and what they couldnt out source they brought in H1bs. Many places I have interviewed with have hinted that the work week is more then 40 hours.

Don't forget that H1b's are not normally used in IT to get cheap workers but are normally because they can't find enough people in the local work-force who have the qualifications to do the job. IT is not fruit-picking.

"they can't find enough people in the local work-force who have the qualifications"

I guarantee if they pay a nationally competitive wage, they will attract the talent they need. A flood of H1Bs are going to bring the wages down for everyone. Business lobyists are pushing congress to up the number of H1Bs allowed in this country. This article suggests there are IT workers that are out of work due to recent economic factors. Do we really need outside workers, or does business just want cheaper workers?

When we hired an H1B it was because he was the absolute best candidate in our region. He moved 250 miles to work here and did it all on his dime. Yes, we have a tendency to underpay but there was just so little talent in our area for what we needed. We didn't advertise salary at all and still got very few candidates even close to being qualified.

You underpay, and some H1B guy moves 250 miles to take the job. This tells everybody where the problem is.

It isn't skills that corporations are interested in -- it is getting skilled people cheap. They put out an ad looking for impossible sets of qualifications. When they don't get people that match these qualifications they ask the Government to allow them to recruit overseas. The people the corporation brings in don't fully match the qualifications either except that they claim they do (Not a lie from a corporation).

Check out outfits like GE Healthcare. They do this regularly and they don't get called on it.

The oversight for these H1Bs needs to be stepped up. Corporations want skilled people make an investment in training or pay more.

This is just a higher level of busting a higher skill labor market. If we were working on a line in a car factory they would bring in scabs. Same thing.

IT may not need a union in the US but we could certainly use a trade guild to push back against corporations.

I would prefer that the Business invest in the incumbent folk and train them to make up skill shortages. This has been going on for years: downturn, lay off people who lack skills, upturn, hire new skills while lamenting on shortage of new skills. Why not take the long view and invest in employees - make it a partnership? This is not just IT, but all business.

The future is bright. There will be jobs. Although many have lost their jobs to the down turn in the economy, demand for talent is only going to rise. The number of people choosing IT as a career is definitely on the decline or at least flat. Those in IT are retiring or in some cases leaving for other careers. How can demand not go up? Employers will have to work with colleges to encourage students to go into IT. In addition employers may need to consider in-house training, because existing employees have key business knowledge that applies to solving IT problems. Outsourcing IT can only go so far to helping businesses cope for the lack of IT skills. Business must look beyond the easy solutions and work with potential employees. They can not expect to find the perfect fit every time they post a job. Employees must have the basic skills or at least some proven ability to fit into the IT world.

"BYOD means no more IT required"
"Cloud means no more IT required"
?

Most wouldn't be able to work after the PC and laptop go away anyway.

The headcount may stay the same, but will these be offshored? I'm not seeing that trend stopping anytime soon.