Editor
Engineering Times
1420 King Street
Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2794
Via e-mail: et@nspe.org
Re: "Offshore Outsourcing Stirs National Debate," March ET
As someone who has been outsourcing for a few years now and who has an outsourcing service, the concerns I have seen are apparently from people who have not outsourced any work yet. I will herein limit myself to one observation.
Most articles I have read regarding this subject all seem to try to pull the readers heartstrings by blaming outsourcing for the loss of jobs. Let me try to pull those heartstrings in another direction. For every potential, perceived, or existing job lost here in the USA due to outsourcing, usually more than one was created in a country whose people do not have the resources we have in the USA. In those countries, someone without a job or land to farm has to rely on their family, steal, or simply not eat. Here in the USA we have unemployment wages, re-educational opportunities, and other social welfare benefits. I have lived in a developing country as a Peace Corps Volunteer and know the best way to improve the situation in these countries is to bring business to them. The issue of job loss really comes down to whether one has a more global perspective on this issue or more USA centered.
As a business owner and a human being, outsourcing makes sense.
Erik Scheller, P.E.
Novato, Calif.
P.S. Due to this letter to the editor, I actually
received a "hate" mail message. I was more amused than scared.
