There is an interview with Robert Reich in this month’s issue of CIO Insight, titled “The Economics of People” . I am a fan of Mr. Reich, from his days back in the US Labor Department, and his thoughtful commentaries on APM’s Marketplace.

A highlight …

Today, there seem to dual anxieties in the IT workforce. IT workers fear the loss of their jobs, while IT executives fear they will not be able to find the people they need in the future. Which is the bigger problem?

The bigger challenge will be for IT executives to find the people they need. I don’t see any reason to fear the loss of good IT jobs in the U.S. Every time the business cycle turns down I hear the same worries, and I’ve heard those worries for over 20 years. But every time the business cycle turns up again, IT professionals are once again employed and they get good jobs. The demand is rising faster than the supply; it’s going to be harder and harder to get the quality of IT professional that American business needs.

The inteview has a lot of food for thought about living and working in IT in the age of outsourcing. If you haven’t already started to started to develop the skills you are going to need for your next job, read the article and then re-evaluate your position.

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