There is no doubt that as globalization continuous to effect all aspects of our economy, jobs will be pushed abroad to reduce costs and boost profits. Like it or not, there is a driving force behind this: it’s called a free market with an open trade policy.

This is a serious problem for aspiring software engineers and designers in the US and the future innovation potential of this great country.

Today, outsourced projects are typically reserved for maintenance and lower skilled software work (as explained in the article below). For large scale software projects where labor costs are high, finding this cheap source is a no brainier for large companies. Outsource is a great solution in this case. The cost of living in China and the south east asia is just so much lower than the US and thus salaries reflect this. Even as India’s market matures and the cost of doing development there matches that of local software development, new markets will open up to fill the demand. India is now having to outsource it’s self to keep costs low enough to meet expectations (article below). They continue to change to meet market demands, but the pace is typically slower.

Software developers are by nature a tough, smart group. We counteract becoming obsolete by learning new technology and adapting to the changes in the industry. For the most part, innovation continues to happen here first (i.e. apple, adobe, microsoft eh… maybe not so much microsoft). Hardware and software engineers and thought leaders drive this. For new development where companies are looking for new software strategies, the best bet is with senior level software devs in the US. For this reason, onshore, higher level software development will continue to be in demand here for the foreseeable future.

I for one have plans to begin business school this fall. My long term goal is to continue to be a software developer for the next 3-4 years, but continue to diminish in that role as I grow CodeTrex. Part of the reason is the fact that software development requires constant learning, and I want to grow in other areas. I will always want to tinker and create prototypes for new ideas, but long term, I’m looking to drive the company rather than be the engine. I believe this is the path for many developers, but for those that choose to stay a developer and individual contributor, staying ahead of the curve is the only option. Your job security depends on this.

The following is an article discussing whether this is all just “hype” or the real deal.
http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/career/article.php/3787566/Is-IT-Offshoring-an-Overhyped-Myth.htm

It’s a very controversial issue, and the problems have no easy solution. What politicians and industry leaders plan to do about it is anyone’s guess, but in the end I think it’s going to be up to the individual to be successful in this industry.