So after hinting around I can finally say what my new project at work is, because it has been announced to the affected users at the client. I am part of a team that will be supporting some of our client's applications from Bangalore, India.
Note: due to the politically sensitive nature of outsourcing jobs to offshore locations, especially India, I will never mention the name of my client in this forum. I think it's a real possibility that if any of the people at my client read this blog in which I announce that they are in the process of sending US jobs to India, I could be removed from this project. I'd rather be able to talk openly about my experiences in this blog, so I will not name my client. Sorry.
Interestingly enough, it was the client who came to us (or rather, our client publicized a request for proposal and we were selected as the contracting company to achieve it) about outsourcing support off-shore. The idea is that we will take over the support for applications that are established, stable, non-strategic, and due to be retired in 2-5 years. This is a fancy way of saying "all the crud". The idea is then this will free up the client personnel to work on the more important stuff and leverage their skill sets better.
Of course, we know better than to expect the client not to reduce their staff after this transition is over. We have been told it will be mostly the existing contractors that will be let go, and I hope that's the case. It's still pretty hard to find an IT job in this economy. Most of my coworkers on my former project are being released from Accenture.
So my role will be to help coordinate the work and communication between our offshore team located in Bangalore, India and our onshore team, both clients and Accenture personnel. I'm excited about my role for several reasons:
- I can learn new applications and skills
- I can be involved in an offshore outsouring model
- I can start taking steps away from a developer role and towards a liaison role
- I'm employed
Surprisingly, the people I have worked with at our client have been very friendly and open so far. There is so much press about losing tech jobs to India that every day there is some opinion piece or campaign speech that is relevant. I always try to be prepared and sympathetic to those people I might talk with that view offshore outsourcing as an evil that should be wiped off the face of the earth.
My opinion is not so extreme. I feel it's something that companies have to look into based on the cost advantage it provides. If companies have to compete globally selling their products or services, they will be forced to utilize the advantages other non-US companies might have.
Would I have a different opinion if I were the one losing my job to an offshore outcourcing arrangement? Maybe. But I don't think of my job as an entitlement as some people apparently do. I have a job only as long as my skills match what my company needs. It's been a long time since employees could expect a lifetime job at a company.
Which is why I'm excited about this role. I think it give me valuable experience that will make me more marketable when this 3-year project is over. It should also present some interesting challenges, since I've never worked with offshore developers before.
So anyway, I'll get at least one trip to India out of it. I'll be going sometime at the end of March or beginning of April, and I'll be gone for 10 days, 5 of which will be full days in Bangalore, India. I've never been to any foriegn country besides Canada, and then only to set foot in Vancouver and Niagara. I don't want to be away from my family for so long, but I'm looking forward to everything else about the trip - meeting the people over there, trying the cuisine, even the 22-hour-plus plane ride.
Posted by Rob Reid at February 26, 2004 10:30 AM