Aerospace Careers

Re “Aerospace Careers in Low Orbit,” Nov. 16: It is truly ironic that at a point when we need more engineers than ever to keep our competitive edge we discourage promising students with quotas in college admissions and racial discrimination and glass ceilings on the job.

Add to that companies that hire outside, non-engineers for upper-level management, policies that institute eight-month layoff periods and discourage employment of older people, a nation whose priorities regarding engineering and science research are up in the air, and it’s no surprise that the nations we defeated with our know-how in World War II are becoming the technological torchbearers for the 21st Century.

Don’t tell me to support a tariff or “protect American jobs” when that day comes. We have only ourselves to blame.

EDWARD CHAO

Torrance