That maybe-20-something intern crossing in front me to walk to the bus stop dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt and donning a backpack makes more money than I do?
In a perfect world, the US born CEO’s of Silicon Valley and the Puget Sound Region would prefer that citizens gain a sudden affinity for math and science and earn the technical certifications needed to be a competitive and productive asset in software development.
In reality, the existence of HB-1 visas along with the ingrained benefit of being able to hire the best and the brightest on the planet for pennies on the dollar completely defeats the idea of a rigorous influx of domestic talent into the innovative of the digital industry. As the business model of higher education continues to fail because of low enrollment and laughably relaxed admission standards, the current crop of undergrads is pursuing liberal arts degrees at alarming rate and bringing a limited amount of applicable skills to the job market.
As a resounding enticement in recruiting potential qualified candidates, many tech companies are offering internships that play higher than the average wage in the US. Couple this reality with the fact that the majority of internships last for three months and enhance hiring prospects. Basically, one gets paid well to remain in the wonderland and safety of the college campus. Why a major gravitation towards achieving a set of technical and coding skills has not materialized is a major concern.
Techcrunch reports that the much maligned social network behemoth leads the pack at offering certain interns $9,000 per month in compensation. While the list of highest internship paying companies factors in a PHD level of education, the salaries are impressive and force one to embark on a journey of self-introspection and ask, “what if?”
Read the full Techcrunch story here.
