BY NIKI KAPSAMBELIS Off the Beaten Path: Pitt Prepares Students for the Realities of Outsourcing

Not long ago, incoming college freshmen viewed a professional school degree as the golden ticket to a guaranteed career path that would take them from graduation to retirement.

But the uncertainty that followed the technology boom of the ’80s and ’90s has seeped into the job ranks, and the prospect of jobs going overseas in exchange for cheaper labor—once a reality largely for blue-collar work- ers—is now threatening to affect even the most highly skilled professionals. Pitt in India participant Erin Moorey fits right in at the Golonda in Hyderabad

The phenomenon—which Larry Feick, businesses—advertising personnel, With the close cooperation and director of the University of Pitts- accounting personnel, … engineering support of the School of Engineering, burgh’s International Business Center personnel, architects—their jobs can the Matthew B. Ridgway Center for (IBC), refers to as “offshoring moving be offshored.” International Security Studies of the up the food chain”—is forcing institu- Graduate School of Public and Inter- tions of higher education to rethink To more effectively prepare its students national Affairs (GSPIA), and the IBC, the way they are training the next to deal with the offshoring (also known the workshop brought together faculty generation to compete in an increas- as outsourcing) phenomenon, the Uni- and senior administrators—including ingly global marketplace. versity is educating its educators. In deans and associate deans. April 2004, the Global Studies Program “I think it’s incumbent on us at the sponsored a workshop titled Offshoring “The workshop kick-started a broader University to understand the economy of Management and High-Technology University discussion about the issue and teach what’s going on and how Jobs that fostered dynamic, high-level of offshoring,” says Lisa Alfredson, it fits into the broader picture,” University-wide discussion of major associate director of the Global Stud- says Feick. “Service personnel in issues related to the offshoring of ies Program. “It ... raised awareness employment in the information tech- of the problem. Our hope was that nology and engineering sectors.

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participants would take the discussion in India program also has an inde- of Bopaya Bidanda, department chair, back to their departments and work on pendent study/internship component and Larry Shuman, associate dean the issue.” that provides students with hands-on for academic affairs, a core group experience working for companies or of engineering faculty and students In response, Pitt’s professional schools nongovernmental organizations. The have joined together with colleagues are rising to the challenge on several city of Hyderabad is one of the leading from the Joseph M. Katz Graduate fronts. Not only are faculty taking part high-tech centers in India. School of Business to explore the in similar events within their own depart- various dimensions of the offshoring ments, but they are also developing The center also has applied for Title VI problem. Shuman admits they are language and culture programs specific funding to leverage a new three-year especially concerned about its impact to traditional outsourcing destinations. program as part of a partnership among on engineering education. Pitt, Carnegie Mellon University, and This past October, the Asian Studies Chatham College. Primarily aimed at “We’re making sure students are aware Center (ASC) sponsored a free public undergraduates, the program would that with the Internet and the capa- symposium in downtown Pittsburgh create a network of academic expertise bilities we have now, the whole world titled Good, Bad, or Somewhere in in South Asia to improve student is your supplier, not just who’s in your Between? Outsourcing to India and competency in subject areas related backyard,” says Shuman. “As a result, China. Acusis CEO David Iwinski Jr. to the region. more engineering students than ever and Ronil Hira, assistant professor of are considering study abroad or work public policy at the Rochester Institute Richard Cohen, associate director of abroad this year.” of Technology (RIT), discussed the ASC, says funding would help introduce advantages of outsourcing jobs to India South Asian case material in existing Eventually, Shuman says, the school and China—and the implications of courses. It also would help create new also hopes to assign students to work outsourcing for the U.S. economy. In courses, set up internship and study on real-world problems with their peers April, William Keller, GSPIA professor abroad opportunities, and enhance from other countries, designing a prod- and director of the Ridgway Center, existing courses in languages native uct, process, or system that would give presented a lecture through the Inter- to South Asia. them experience, not only in engineer- national Business Center titled “A Tsu- ing but also in international teamwork nami of Chinese Engineers: Outsourcing “The whole idea behind this grant and networking. and Technical Capacity in China.” proposal was that we really do need to better educate our students and “The ideal situation would be students To more Back on campus, ASC is working with better prepare them to compete in the working with students from another effectively several other departments to develop global economy,” says Cohen. “They country to tackle a serious problem in prepare new programs and courses that focus on will find themselves competing for sustainability—maybe develop a way its students offshoring hot zones China and India. careers, not just here in the United of purifying water for, say, a village to deal with States, but also overseas. The more in a rural area, whether it’s in India or the offshoring Every summer, the center helps coor- aware they are of those environments, Brazil,” says Shuman. “Students learn (also known as dinate three study abroad programs the better off they are.” to deal with a number of these issues outsourcing) for professional students, including simultaneously.” two in China (Beijing and Nanjing) The Department of Industrial Engi- phenomenon, and one in Hyderabad, India, at the neering’s academic program is moving That professional students are demon- the University University of Hyderabad. The Pitt in to highlight culture and how it helps strating any interest in foreign studies is educating China-Nanjing program is for engineer- determine local solutions to manu- at all represents a major culture shift, its educators. ing and business students. Both the facturing needs, such as the needs of points out Shuman, who has been on four- and eight-week programs enable manufacturing systems in India, China, the School of Engineering’s faculty participants to take Chinese language or Turkey. since 1969. courses designed especially for business and engineering students and, once Already, the department has reworked “The world has changed considerably they arrive in Nanjing, to participate courses to include a stronger emphasis since then, and it’s changed dramati- in individualized internships. The Pitt on international issues affecting the cally in the last few years,” he says. • supply chain. Under the direction

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