Older, Wiser, Slower After 50, Avid Athletes Find That to Stay Healthy,
They Must Let Go of the Need to Win
Parents
Former Member
. . . I have been trying to hire Masters' and PhD engineers, mathematicians, statisticians and other analytical types for well over a decade ... and have mostly learned about the intricacies of our H1B, L1, B1, etc. immigration process. If I pursued a "hire American" only policy, my last three companies would be woefully lacking in staff primarily because there are so few American students even in those programs. . .
As an actuary, I see the same thing in hiring - a lot of immigrants on visas vying for well-paid jobs. I've also worked with people in other countries and I think their average worker is more adept than our average worker.
I think America's education model worked well in the 19th and 20th Centuries, when we needed a few brilliant people and a minimally competent work force that had learned to show up on time and move to the next task when the bell rang. Today we need a lot more people who are quite bright and capable to create models and procedures that the average person can follow. (Think of a person creating a database that a whole bunch of people have to learn how to use.)
The bar for what constitutes minimal competence has risen. Today you have to be able to read with comprehension and to type, among other things. In the past you had to be bright enough to do factory shift work.
The reasons for our failure to produce people who can do these things quickly move into political philosophy, and I don't want to go there.
All that said, I don't think handing out ribbons to every 8-year-old at the Y has contributed much to our current state.
To keep to topic, maybe we should hand out a ribbon to every 50-year-old who doesn't want a burst aorta.
. . . I have been trying to hire Masters' and PhD engineers, mathematicians, statisticians and other analytical types for well over a decade ... and have mostly learned about the intricacies of our H1B, L1, B1, etc. immigration process. If I pursued a "hire American" only policy, my last three companies would be woefully lacking in staff primarily because there are so few American students even in those programs. . .
As an actuary, I see the same thing in hiring - a lot of immigrants on visas vying for well-paid jobs. I've also worked with people in other countries and I think their average worker is more adept than our average worker.
I think America's education model worked well in the 19th and 20th Centuries, when we needed a few brilliant people and a minimally competent work force that had learned to show up on time and move to the next task when the bell rang. Today we need a lot more people who are quite bright and capable to create models and procedures that the average person can follow. (Think of a person creating a database that a whole bunch of people have to learn how to use.)
The bar for what constitutes minimal competence has risen. Today you have to be able to read with comprehension and to type, among other things. In the past you had to be bright enough to do factory shift work.
The reasons for our failure to produce people who can do these things quickly move into political philosophy, and I don't want to go there.
All that said, I don't think handing out ribbons to every 8-year-old at the Y has contributed much to our current state.
To keep to topic, maybe we should hand out a ribbon to every 50-year-old who doesn't want a burst aorta.
