While the job picture in the U.S. “seems” to be improving, the IT sector appears to be a mixed bag. The good news is that the number of IT jobs lost over the next few years will decrease. However, as far as job creation goes, the future looks bleak. This is all according to a study done by the Hackett Group. CIO.com spoke to a couple of Hackett’s lead researchers and you can read that interview right HERE. The following is a short snippet from the article:

“… CIO.com: You predict that IT job loss will level off at around 115,000 jobs a year, at least until 2014. What happens after that?

Michel Jannsen: In the corporate world, it’s going to be a grizzly picture here. [Net IT job loss] could continue until 10, 15 years from now.

Honorio Padron: Even longer. You know, the Chinese are now outsourcing to South Africa because it’s cheaper. [U.S. IT job loss] is going to go on for a long time. It could be 50 years.

Michel Jannsen: Companies have to understand the global marketplace. What we have is an asymmetrical talent war. In Asia or India the question is, ‘How do I hire 500 people?’ In the U.S. it will be, ‘How do I hire 5, 10, or 50?’ In the U.S., they will be hiring professionals with very specialized industry skills, the ability to manage in the global context, or experience in new technologies…”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for IT employees, huh? Obviously this outsourcing and off-shoring isn’t a new development. It is also clear there are many benefits to doing business this way. Now I may be a bit naieve but I think this is a trend that needs to be reversed. It is bad enough now that everything you buy in the U.S. says “Made in China” but now that even applies to employees and workers. How is this country to get back on its feet if we keep shipping jobs overseas? I know the this argument has been made millions of times by millions of people but I encourage to read this whole interview and then think about all of the bright young minds out there who are enthralled with IT. What are they supposed to do? It would be an absolute shame to see that talent go to waste.