Doug Farrow: Silicon Valley worries Trump’s ban will stop worker flow
Did you notice the hi-tech companies in Silicon Valley lined up against President Trump’s temporary ban on immigrants/refugees? They admit the need for hi-tech people from several countries. They need these people for two reasons. Either we don’t have enough Americans with sufficient training, education and experience, or Americans want higher wages. I believe the first is correct and the second not valid. The market sets the wages.
The shortage of talent screams out to the incompetence of our education system. But the absence of this strategic planning, also is an indictment on the hi-tech companies. All companies, not just hi-Tech, should be handing educators their projected needs every year. The bottom line is this robs our youngsters of good jobs and hands those jobs to immigrants, causing discontent downstream.
Our education system should identify our high IQ youngsters and alert parents to their potential. The hi-tech companies may offer free or inexpensive training in programming. The hi-tech immigrants are causing, or potentially will cause, resentment.
These hi-IQ kids may know who they are. They are the best at the video games, and will too late regret their wasted years.
Doug Farrow, Modesto
This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Doug Farrow: Silicon Valley worries Trump’s ban will stop worker flow."