I so agree with John's statement: 
 
The decision to outsource offshore (or anywhere else) does have its risks,
including risk to reputation if something goes wrong and even a 
moral/emotional' risk if it is perceived that you are 'taking away local
jobs'. It is vital to determine if you are willing to take those risks. 
 
Taking into account this train of thought regarding Tod's suggestion: 
 
There is an on-shore option - UNICOR - Federal Prison Industries, Inc. 
http://www.unicor.gov/services/. They even exhibit on the Expo floor at 
ARMA's annual conference. 
 
They provide document conversion - data entry, scanning, OCR, indexing, and 
Tagging, plus CADD support, in addition to more low tech work such as 
Producing textiles, office furniture and industrial products. 
 
..which I find completely ludicrous, (respectfully) given that I am
required to have background checks on all my employees by my government
clients for conversion as well as destruction (ref NAID)- How in the world
do they justify having felons - yes just he sort of people I am not "allowed
 to have any access to many of my "public record" projects (specifically
police and court department records)  - even - doing this type of work???
Right, lets trust the people who have already betrayed the rules of our
social system to hold to the rules of confidentiality? Companies who
contract with the prison system for secure, confidential services have got
to be out of their minds - that's just in my opinion! Of course, they can
always assume that felons are mostly illiterate as their justification....
 
As Jaspal said: 
 
To even assume that our people can not read and / or understand English is
ludicrous to put it mildly. They may not speak it with an American twang, or
may not speak it grammatically correct in all respects but they can read it
and understand it. They can not get through college studying from text books
in English, including the most complex technical & engineering manuscripts
merely by doing character mapping or whatever terminology you care to use. 
 
Having lived and schooled in Europe and the Middle East, I do think he is
being very generous to us arrogant Americans given that European and Asian
children are expected to attain levels of education in elementary and middle
school that we do not even require in high school, specifically calculus and
at least 2 foreign languages in 8th grade??? Yes, straight "A" California
high schooler didn't suddenly get stupid when she transferred to an
international school, it was just a very different playing field. 
 
Then we have the other side of the coin regarding American workers - 
 
Gerard said: 
 
What is a crummy data entry job in our economy, attracting at best an 
Employee that is semi-literate would probably attract somebody with a 
Degree In India, Philippines, China et al. 
 
And Jaspal followed with: 
 
However, I do not agree with the contention that foreign workers and global
trade take away American jobs. It's mainly technology that does. 
 
Excuse me, but I resent the @&^%$ out of anyone thinking that I am hiring
people for "crummy data entry jobs". Trust me, there are a lot of jobs that
pay more like our oil field out here where you get to put yourlife on the
line not only on the job but just getting to the work sites, working with
alcoholics and druggies in 20 below zero weather outside.... But the jobs I
have to offer are in nice professional environment, with respectful peers
doing work that will last 100 years or more when we are microfilming that
you can take pride in. Fine, if it's all about the money then why does the
oilfield have the highest suicide rate of any industry? Too much money, with
no place to spend it and no time to have a life. 
 
I disagree with Jaspal that technology is our greatest threat to American
jobs. Based on my last few years of experience the greatest threat to
America the astounding level of entitlement that young Americans seem to
have embraced along with is it's declining work ethic. We are experiencing a
totally disabling unemployment level out here due to the same oil field boom
discussed earlier. Job service has 600 jobs on the board here in Casper and
there were 2 people in the office the last time I was there. We have 16 year
olds that say they won't work for less than $10 hr with no expereience (in
anything), no work ethic, no willingness to even put in the hours they hire
on for and just filled with excuses for their inabilities. 
 
So, options? You bet, I am working with the senior citizen placement center
and disabled vocational rehab department!!! Why? All those things that a
required in an employee - work ethic, punctuality, give a *$&#^'S, pride in
their work and a willingness to do the work asked of them! Sounds pretty
basic, doesn't it. And it should be - but with the prevalent attitude of our
American youth - we are left with very few options including using
technology to take out the human factor or finding humans who ARE willing to
work for living!! The number of foreign workers in Wyoming has tripled in
the last year, for just that reason. I have to go from 14 full time to 28
part time jobs because my target employees are limited in the amount of
income they can make due to Social Security and SS Disability limits so it
becomes a win-win situation for all of us!!! 
 
Sorry, you all really got me started this morning..... 
 
I keep trying to remember--- "Problems are only opportunities in work
clothes" 
 
 
Janie Wait 
 
 
Janie Wait, CRM, MBA 
President 
Director of Marketing 
Intermountain Record Center, Inc 
3765 Airport Parkway, Casper, WY 82604 
PO Box 2770, Mills, WY 82644 
307-265-9553 
307-237-8225 
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www.intermountainrecords.com

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