Electile Dysfunction (Current students plz look!)

[WRXtranceformed]

Amazon isn't just an IT company, it's an almost-everything company. With automation, the only thing that will matter is who patents the idea and has the skill set to train the machines. Protectionism doesn't breed IP or patents. Also, I'm not talking about outsourcing. We are moving thousands of people from their home country to the US to live here and work jobs where there were no qualified Americans. I'm talking high paying, critical thinking, value creating jobs. If it's really "ever changing," why do other countries have the skills and we don't? Clearly they saw something we didn't and are prepared. What's next that we'll be behind on? The answer isn't doctors, because we're already experiencing a shortage.

You guys are also making a huge move at distribution and supply chain, which will 100% be affected (and already has been dramatically) by automation. Truck driving is next, which also affects that industry. I couldn't agree more that the ones at the top are going to profit, but with industries like the fast food establishment moving to automated ordering and food prep there are a LOT of low-skill / low educational attainment jobs that will be phased out in the not so distant future. I don't worry as much about a lot of the white collar world, it's the blue collar labor that are the backbone of most economies that won't have the opportunities that they have now for gainful employment.

If high skilled workers are emigrating and coming to America it's because the companies (like Amazon) that need them are here, or they can make a better living here. It's always been that way? If you were an intelligent human being and saw that your country had no opportunity for the skill you possess wouldn't you consider a move too if a company like yours waves an unlimited checkbook at you?

I 100% agree with you that our homegrown workforce isn't prepared for a lot of jobs in the tech industry and a lot of that falls on the educational system. Those workers exist overseas because their schools are educating them with the skills that are needed right now. They just know there are more opportunities here in the US, and despite the doom and gloom everybody still wants to be here. We're freakin Merica.