Declining electronics engineering and electronics industry

[wh]

I'd like to know how everyone feels their industry is going in their respective countries. Whether power, optical, control, hardware, software, telecommunications or other... What are your thoughts?

In Australia for example, I feel things aren't going all that well and that our industry is losing out to overseas markets and cheap offshore labour. Outside of our power engineers, a few telecommunications engineers and those in defence, there seems to be no stable homes for electronics engineers.

To those working in Australia. Do you agree with my thoughts? To those in other markets, what is your outlook?

[Jeroen3]

Companies can't get a lot of people in the Netherlands so they're leaving to the USA or Asia.
Or, they offer a huge bonus for those that can pull in a full time software/hardware engineer.

Then there are the smaller companies, that seem to be doing great if they have quality products that will sell.

[Seán]

There aren't a lot of major companies in the north of Ireland ...but there are a lot in the south. Mostly software companies, just there is also the likes of Analog Devices and a number of medical devices companies ...so in short ...the north sucks, the south is good.

Seán

[VK3DRB]

Correct. This is evident by the lack of component availability from distributors like RS and Element 14, and the almost complete demise of your local electronics store (Dick Smith is NOT an electronics store and Jaycar is a toy shop.)

Electronics industries on the decline: Automotive (near death), Computer manufacture (dead), Telecommunications (sick).
Reason: Inept politicians and bad policy. High volume, low margin commodities.

Electronics industries on the rise: Medical and niche industries.
Reason: Low volume, high margin products. Third world countries like China and India cannot compete in western markets primarily due to strict FDA/TGA regulations. Innovation is needed to get products on the market. When you are dealing with people's health, only top notch medically accredited western companies with strict R & D and manufacturing processes do well. Australia does very well in medical electronics.

Politicians do not have any experience in manufacturing or R & D. Maybe engineers would not get elected because they don't lie and are not salesmen. Plus engineers understand control theory which is something politicians and their advisers know little about as demonstrated by Rudd and his insulation and cash splash debacles.

Another reason is high salaries, but generally you get what you pay for. IBM swapped US employees for cheaper outsourced labour in South America and Asia which appears to have resulted in serious damage to the company. I suggest you read the excellent book called The Decline and Fall of IBM (released this year and the eBook costs about $3 from Amazon).

[abaxas]

Sadly, the 'you get what you paid for' simply doesn't apply. Lots of offshore 'tech' workers are educated in the USA/UK/etc then return home for a much higher standard of living than they ever could have on the USA/etc for 1/3 of the money.

[coppice]

Electronics industries on the rise: Medical and niche industries.
Reason: Low volume, high margin products. Third world countries like China and India cannot compete in western markets primarily due to strict FDA/TGA regulations. Innovation is needed to get products on the market. When you are dealing with people's health, only top notch medically accredited western companies with strict R & D and manufacturing processes do well. Australia does very well in medical electronics.

There are Chinese companies like Mindray, and a few Indian ones too, who are making their mark in the medical market all over the world.

[IconicPCB]

And what little there is in the medical field employs all of a handfull of engineers.

I run a small usiness manufacturing prototype bare boards for R+D work.

The company survives thanks to diversified ( read other than intended work) work.

Wish I had a coal mine. I wouldnt have to pay carbon tax now.