U.S. Gov't Calls IT Training Grant Program "Ineffective"
4/24/2002 -- According to a story published April 15 in the San Jose Mercury News, the White House is looking to gut a $138 million fund for technology training in order to speed up the processing of H1-B visas.
The H1-B Technical Skills Training Grants program originated in 1998 as part of a compromise to increase the cap on H1-B visas, the article says. The goal of the the program was to encourage U.S. citizens to train for IT positions, thus offsetting the need for companies to fill jobs with foreign employees. However, according to reporter Jennifer Bjorhus, in a budget proposal sent to congress in February, the Bush administration called the program is "ineffective" and said that it "'has no prospect' of educating workers to take the place of people on H1-B visas."
"According to the Bush administration, the H1-B Technical Skills Training Grants are teaching low-level computer skills that aren't lifting US workers up to the level of highly educated foreigners on H1-B visas.." she writes.
Money for the program is currently taken in part from H-1 B visa application fees. According to the story, the Bush administration would rather use the $138 million in funds to speed up the processing of H1-B visas which, in some cases, can take up to five years to process.
To read the full story from the San Jose Mercury News, click here.  - B.N.
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There are 64  user Comments for “U.S. Gov't Calls IT Training Grant Program "Ineffective"”
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| 4/24/02: Maxime Darbouze from PA says: |
I feel the Bush administration, should support the H1-B Technical Skills Training Grants and upgrade the school teaching the IT skills. This in turn will help lift US workers up to the level of highly educated foreigners on H1-B visas.." I am a Biomendical Engineer/Chemist Who is also MCP in Win2000 and Server soon MCP in Infrastructure to become MCSA then MCSE. I think the president is under estimating the American peole we have qualified people who can learn the H1-B Technical skills. I would urge the president to support the grant to teach Americans who are willing and able to learn. I am one of them and they are many others like me. Maxime Darbouze Biomedical Engineer/Chemist MCP Professional and Server |
| 4/24/02: Kelvin from Georgia says: |
I have a MCSE since 1999 and currently studying Unix Sun Solaris. I am currently not employed I think that American citizen should be hire first in the IT industry. What are the skills set that the H1-B people have that are lacking with the IT professionals in the USA? Programming, Hardware, or just Cheap labor? |
| 4/24/02: Tom from Maryland says: |
I agree. I'm have a BS in Computer Science and a MBA. As of Tuesday I will be unemployed, due to a massive lay off. I am currently going for my MCSA an then onto other certifications. There are more than enough Americans willing and able to learn -- especially those who are out of work, that should take priority. Failure to take this route will result ultimately in a lower standard of living for Americans and higher unemployment --along with all the other collateral damage, like higher social costs. |
| 4/24/02: Anonymous says: |
Of course the grant program is ineffectual. Only students who already qualified for some level of FAFSA grant monies could qualify for the IT grant monies. This knocked a great number of really qualified candidates out of the running on our college campus. |
| 4/24/02: Fred from Texas says: |
This is not the deal intended by the program. I am a graduate of the program, a career changer who brings Healthcare, Finance, and Management experience to the table. I was able to train and receive A plus, N plus, CNA, and MCSE training and certification through this much needed program. I am an Instructor in the field as a result of the training grant. My students need this grant to gain the skills necessary and compete. Better yet!! Let those who have prospered through the process, go back for a second round of training in another skill shortage area |
| 4/24/02: MadDog from Fort Wayne, IN says: |
I get tired of seeing WELL qualified, fully trained Data Processing Professionals, both in mainframe and LAN based technoligies - RIF'd (Laid off) - FIRED. Only to be replaced by CHEAP foreign labor. -OR- to see the same jobs go to a contracting company that takes jobs offshore to India or Korea - where labor costs are minimal. This issue isn't about getting qualified labor - this is about FIRING Americans in order to replace them with CHEAP LABOR. (sigh) - Ask any D.P. Professional with North American Van Lines or Verizon (formerly GTE) and you will get an EARFULL. |
| 4/24/02: Robert from Southeastern Pennsylvania says: |
In reading the comments of others, I see a pattern of folks who are ready and willing to learn. How many of these folks are in a program funded by the H1-B visa fees? If the IT training provided by this program is typical of most government programs, the folks being trained are blue-collar employees from industries that are declining. Most of them will need a lot of training to reach the level of today's typical high school graduate when it comes to computer skills. Most of these folks would be maxing out their computer skills by getting a MOUS certification. The IT industry apparently needs those high-level folks who can be architects, database managagers, security managers, and high-level code cutters. Those folks are like the ones whose postings I have read -- they didn't wait for government money. They started on their own, and hope to recover the expense by landing a higher-paying job. As for other comments about companies laying off experienced people to make a case for hiring lower-paid H1-B folks, it is sadly true. The H1-B isn't even necessary. Just contract out to India, Ireland, or some other place with a solid internet connection, and let your "cheap" employees work from "home", free of US taxes. Two example come to mind. A former employer (since purchased by L3 Comm) tried to claim that no US worker would work for what was offered. That was true. The offer was $18,000 for a skill set easily worth $50,000 on the open market. When they advertised in IEEE Spectrum, they were soundly beaten up for it. Another example was a position for Assistant Director of a college computer operation. Offer was $18,000 for a skill set easily worth $40,000 to $60,000. The person hired stayed 18 months, then took a VERY LARGE salary jump by moving on to DEC. In a wide open market, sometimes (but not often), the laborer can name his or her price. More often, the employer can play the laborers off against one another to keep costs down. When the offer is too low, the turnover costs the employer much more than a prudent salary ever would, but MOST senior managers never grasp that. Remember, in the USA, for a publicly-traded company, only the last 13 weeks count. |
| 4/24/02: moaner from seattle says: |
Common, get with it. The world is becoming more and more globalized everyday. You do not merely compete with your next door neighbor anymore, you compete with people all over the world. If someone can do job cheaper and faster than an American can, that job will leave the country. Who is to blame? Blame yourself. If want to go out and buy Windows XP Home for $1000 a pop, or a new 60GB Hard Drive for $2000, then computer jobs will stay in the US. Many salaries in the US are artificially high in the US. Do you really think the person throwing out the garbage should be making $18/hr? For that money, a company could hire team of computer scientests from India or China, to do anything they want. The fact is, every american wants to buy cheap goods, and make more money. If you cannot keep up the skill sets up, you will get left behind. |
| 4/24/02: Ed from Lockard says: |
If freshly minted attorneys or doctors were coming here from overseas, would it make sense to try to combat the situation by trying to train highschoolers and people who are totally unskilled to compete with them? That is the premise (and the mandate)of many of these programs. If you have worked in the industry or have any prior knowledge it decreases your chances for assistance. It's as if they've forgotten that the H1-Bs are very highly skilled and relatively well paid, which is the reason the training programs exist in the first place. It seems, however, that the programs are being jeopardized so that a few public officials can have Cinderella, rags-to-riches stories to tell. |
| 4/24/02: Silent H1B Worker from Why your job is gone says: |
Most Americans do not have a real understanding of these non-immigrant visa issues. Please understand what the H1b program is used for by employers. It is not that there is a shortage, or US workers lack skills, they indeed have them, I found. H1b enables employers to hire a highly skilled foreign worker into a much lower position "in name only", at a greatly reduced cost, and pays good employees less than YOU could accept. This is approved by the dept of labor which claims to insure the worker equal pay? The company can send you somewhere, bill the customer for your living expenses, and also take it from your wages, too. (Great Profit) This worker cannot attempt to move to another company without huge legal costs paid by him. He is hated by HR depts, and other workers. He is told nothing, ever. He learns that he cannot complain, or risks being fired, then sent back. He is not entitled to unemployment money, and if laid off, must leave the US immediately. He cannot get a car loan, or mortgage without huge problems. He must lie. If his visa lapses even one day, then he cannot adjust to permanent status in the US, but must risk going home, where in the case of China, may not be permitted his ever returning. In order to become a legal, He must TRY hoplessly to get his employer to attempt a ridiculously long and detailed labor cert, meant to exclude you, while making no mistakes, having the Ec security dept try to fill his job, reducing his qualifications way down, and find someone who meets minimum skills and exclude him. This cannot be done cheaply or easily, even with the fast track. With each new employer, you start over. Takes years. Lots of details. Many forms. Much advertising, much time, great expense. Great fun! His family children cannot legally attend grades 1-12 in public schools. He cannot vote. He cannot risk going home to see his family. If he visits his old home and family, the INS may determine on his return that his children are inadmissable for attending public school here. If he says to the INS he will marry an American he may be inadmissable for being on the wrong visa. Many, many tricks are used. The H1B allows the employer to dispose of over age 40 workers, highly paid workers, and problem staff. It serves little other purpose. So the H1b system effectively allows an employer to enslave an employee, have the employee provided with not even the simplest of basic human rights, and lock them in for 6 years, where after they are up-rooted and sent back. This is a horrible form of slavery. Please call your federal rep and insist they do away with this! The corporations will fight you to keep this! They use lobby companies, and contribute to elections. If a person comes here to work they should be given an immigrant visa, and only this will stop workers from being displaced with less costly foreign ones. Signed, been there, and done that. |
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