The Future of Outsourcing - Part 2 : Education and Immigration reform

To keep the US growth engine in top gear it is imperative that we find folks in the productive age group to work and to contribute towards taxes and social programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

Of course the economy has to create jobs; however a critical mass of educated workforce is also required to take on those jobs. Education and immigration reform need to be addressed head on with the talent war in perspective.

Making college education affordable is a basic first step towards creating this talent pool.
Readers would be surprised that my family spent less than US $300 (yes, three hundred dollars) for my entire medical education in India. Every year, in my home state, 100,000 students take a competitive exam to qualify for those 700 spots of almost free medical education. This is the case with several state sponsored medical schools in India. Same is the case with top notch state sponsored business and technology schools in India, where a merit based system prevails.

Guys, there is nothing wrong with “socialized” education as your politicians may have you believe!!! We all turned out just fine. It is heartening to note that several Ivy League Universities in the United States have stepped up to provide various financial incentives to attract lower income students.

If generating/mass producing homegrown talent is not working well, then the immigration policy has to streamlined to facilitate smoother flow of labor to the country.
Europe, UK and Australia are attempting to attract Indian talent with various immigration programs to fast track their economies. Labor mobility will increase in the coming years and jobs would go to where the talent resides irrespective of boundaries. Medical tourism though in its infancy is an indication that services (in this case surgery) can travel to where talent resides, even in healthcare.

Though the US continues to be the destination of choice for most immigrants, several first generation immigrants from emerging economies are making a beeline to return o their home countries to be part of the exciting growth stories there. The shape and form of immigration system in the US will have to change dramatically to retain talent.