I.T.'s a People Thing offers an in-depth look at I.T. workers -- where they work and what they do -- and the policy issues they inspire. It also illuminates numerous areas that have been questioned in political debates:
-- Where do people in I.T. jobs come from and what kind of education and training matters most for them?
-- Are employers' and workers' experiences similar or different in various parts of the country?
-- How do citizens of other countries factor into the U.S. I.T. workforce?
-- What do we know about I.T. career paths, and what does that imply for I.T. workers as they age? And, can we measure what matters?

The committee identifies characteristics that differentiate I.T. work from other categories of high-tech work, including an informative contrast with biotechnology. The book also looks at the capacity of the U.S. educational system and of employer training programs to produce qualified workers.