As of this writing, 40 IT engineers that I knew have already left Cebu since January this year to work for Singapore based IT companies. An average of 4 IT engineers a month! Thats just a fraction of the whole number of IT engineers who left the country to work abroad.
Is this good or bad? A brain-drain or brain-gain? There is no definite answer, it could be either or both.
Usually, experienced IT engineers seek for high paying jobs abroad. Earn enough to build a house and buy a car then come back home and settle for good. Thus, returnees bring skills and technologies which would benefit the local companies they work for upon their return. On the other hand, junior IT engineers usually stay and buildup experience and skills for a period of 2 to 3 years before going abroad. So I would say, its still a win-win scenario. Not so bad at all.
The most effective way to stop our IT engineers from leaving would be to increase their pay, comparable (i mean not really equal) to what they earn if they work abroad. To achieve this, we have to build a very strong software industry locally and reach global, just like the Japanese auto industry.
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2 comments:
First nurses, then doctors, then teachers and now engineers. Why not send our politicians instead?
Just recently visited Cebu and I truly enjoyed your place. Take Care.
Actually, the people who are leaving for Singapore are doing it illegally in most cases by not obtaining the proper exit visa's or recruiters using illegal practices. Poachers can be and will fined and sentenced to jail terms for these violations. I see the Phillipine government cracking down on such poaching in the near future and local companies aiding them in this cause.
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