Tesla (like SpaceX) provides unique incentives to experienced people in their relevant fields. Here's an opportunity to greenfield not just a product, but an entire system and process! In these fields dominated by large incumbent companies with lots of process, history, and yes, cruft in place, it can be hard to fulfill the itch of 'doing it from scratch, and doing it right'.
By the time the Model 3 preplanning should have been in place, it was obvious enough that Tesla is short term here to stay. You're talking about probably 2 years of job security. I feel like thats enough for many of the less risk adverse (who will probably those who are itching for greenfield) employees to consider leaving.
I am sorry but "2 years of job security" is a joke. That's the sort of shit that's sold by web companies in the valley.
Some of the guys I knew who are working as engineers in electronics, mechanical, software have more than a decade in the same company. That's in Europe and outside of the major tech hubs. They have the unions, unheard of in tech companies, and the accrued benefits with age.
They won't move to an unknown company just to disrupt some processes, but it doesn't matter because Tesla doesn't exist on this continent anyway.
Well, it's the norm for a growing company to do with not enough employees, not enough experience and not enough resources. We can both agree on that.
I'm not sure where Tesla is recruiting but I don't think they have much footprint even in the USA. If so, they are certainly cut from the vast majority of the talent pool that compose their worldwide competitors.
Because it's software development. The projects are super short and you can be out of a job every year. Automotive and aerospace have longer cycle. It takes years to ship anything.
However, the main thing I was trying to comment on is that "especially if the person has a family to consider" doesn't play out the way the person I responded to thinks, with actual middle-aged Silicon Valley engineers, in my experience.
I was saying it in the context of what Tesla has to offer to experienced automotive production engineers. Most of them are probably located nowhere near the Bay Area, making the move a bigger deal, especially for families.
Anyhow, my original claim was never that it was impossible for Tesla to get the right experienced people, just that what they had to offer was probably enough to get their hands on some of the right people, but not most.
Ah. As my reply makes clear, I was only talking about people already living here. Obviously choosing to move to a place with a high cost of living and a modest amount of automotive engineering job choices is a whole 'nother kettle of fish for everyone, including those with families.
By the time the Model 3 preplanning should have been in place, it was obvious enough that Tesla is short term here to stay. You're talking about probably 2 years of job security. I feel like thats enough for many of the less risk adverse (who will probably those who are itching for greenfield) employees to consider leaving.