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<p>Our area (large midwestern city) did really well from the early mid 1990’s till 2001, crashed, burned, and never recovered. The large employers outsourced everything to oblivion, the smaller companies never expanded, and the few brave tech sector pioneers either went under or were bought out. </p>
<p>By far, the biggest issue has not been mediocre job prospects, but no job prospects because of outsourcing and downsizing. Only now companies are beginning to figure out outsourcing does not always work but the horse has fled the barn. </p>
<p>Simba’s description is right on the money for us, except the last sentence. There was way too much contract employment (expensive $100/hr consultants) which became half priced H1B’s and that’s all she wrote.</p>