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GM Adding Fewer Tech Jobs Than Reported Media reports that General Motors will add 10,000 people as it insources the bulk of its IT operations turn out to be wrong. The company told Dice News that the widely cited figure stemmed more from a media rush than company announcements. The tech staff will grow from about 1,500 today to 10,000 over the next several years, the company said. . Tech Layoffs Rise More Than National Average Layoffs at tech companies increased in August, far surpassing the national average. The computer and electronics products sector was among the hardest hit, with 20 major layoffs occurring, double the rate from August 2011. The professional and technical services sector saw 31 major layoffs, a 29 percent increase. The national average rose 10.6 percent . Consumer Cloud Drives Demand for Data, Programming, Networking Skills Consumer demand for cloud services is driving the need for professionals with a variety of skills, from data warehouse decision support and big data to C and Linux network applications. Since total cloud computing is projected to be a $241 billion business by 2020, more tech professionals will be under pressure to adapt their skills so they can develop and maintain cloud-related efforts in both established companies and startups. . Developers See Apple Ruling Enterprise Mobile Developers expect Apple’s iOS to become the dominant mobile platform in the enterprise. Of the roughly 3,600 developers surveyed by Appcelerator and IDC, 53.2 percent expect iOS to win the competition for the leading role, compared to 37.5 percent for Android. They cited the iPad’s increasing penetration, Android fragmentation and reports of malware in the Android ecosystem. . House Kills Bill to Create More STEM Visas The House of Representatives defeated a proposal to allow up to 55,000 foreign nationals with STEM degrees to receive green cards. The bill would have changed lottery-based permanent-residency visas into STEM visas. Although the measure won a majority of votes, 257-158, it was considered under a suspension of the rules, and so required a two-thirds majority to pass. Compiled by the Dice News Staff 
