Less Talent Means Employers Are Casting a Wider Net
Rapid growth is causing problems for the tech industry. They are having a difficult time finding experienced and trained employees. There are an estimated 700,000 job openings unfilled in the tech industry. Last year job postings for AI job positions increased by a whopping 159%. This increase is causing employers to be more creative in their search for qualified workers.
What Kind of Jobs Are They Trying to Fill?
Tech employers are looking for employees trained in data mining, analytics. They also need people skilled in robotics and automation engineering and AI. Very few people are trained and educated in the United States to fill these positions.
Where Are Employees Trained to Fill These Roles?
India and Brazil are the largest two areas with highly trained people willing to go to another country for a job. About 2/3rds of these foreign job seekers are willing to move. The top 3 countries they want to go to are the United States, Canada, and Germany.
Limitations to Finding Qualified People
Bringing employees into the United States is not an easy thing to do. Employers in the United States are looking to the H-1B visa program to find qualified people worldwide. The H-1B visa program limits H-1B visas to 85,000 annually. It is a cumbersome process requiring the submission of many forms by employers. The annual cap limitation forces smaller companies to compete for this labor pool. Smaller companies have to compete with companies like Apple and Microsoft. Also, the approval rate for the H-1B visas has dropped to 75%. This makes it more difficult to get approval for people interested in coming here. Currently half of the people with H-1B visas are from India.
Efforts to Find Qualified People
Employers are trying to find people interested in coming to the United States. Many companies are looking into alternative training sources. Tech boot camps and certification programs are two of these possibilities. Offering relocation packages and supporting family members is another. Some employers are trying to help with the paperwork for people trying to move here.
To ease the employee shortage other American companies are moving tech teams to foreign countries. Distance and cultural issues are not always easy to overcome. Yet it’s another alternative companies are considering to find educated and qualified employees.
Companies may need to consider investing and developing training programs to meet their future needs for these high tech employees.
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Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com
Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com
574.361.2674
Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.