Britain will face a shortage of engineers, scientists and mathematicians...

within the next few years unless more pupils are encouraged to take up the subjects at school

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/12140410/Kids-dont-like-physics-and-maths-study-finds-out-why.html

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

Mayhem™

19

future engineer here baby

Reply 2

Phoebe Buffay

19

I think in the next few years that will be the least of our worries.

Reply 3

username1148663

21

Fine, let the shortage come, pay them more and they will get more interest in positions.

That is of course if there is enough training places which I don't know.

The solution to not enough x is always one of the two

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Reply 4

CurlyBen

19

There's lots of talk about how crucial engineers are to industry, but then industry tends not to make engineering that attractive an option. I studied engineering and worked in the field for a couple of years, but pay was mediocre, job satisfaction wasn't great and progression was slow. So... I left engineering for a career which is more attractive. I'm far from an isolated case - even those of my friends still working in engineering aren't overly enamoured of the industry anymore.

Reply 5

HucktheForde

20

i got a biochemistry degree :biggrin:

Reply 6

YesAllMen

OP

12

Original post by CurlyBen

There's lots of talk about how crucial engineers are to industry, but then industry tends not to make engineering that attractive an option. I studied engineering and worked in the field for a couple of years, but pay was mediocre, job satisfaction wasn't great and progression was slow. So... I left engineering for a career which is more attractive. I'm far from an isolated case - even those of my friends still working in engineering aren't overly enamoured of the industry anymore.

This is exactly what I suspected -- I've read elsewhere that many who wanted to stay in the field moved to other countries especially since many seem to pay for family education, housing etc. I'd extend this to many other fields as well to be honest -- and it seems that medicine might be added to the list sooner or later. Seems like one of the biggest counters has to be making the salary better

Original post by Phoebe Buffay

I think in the next few years that will be the least of our worries.

cheeky

Reply 7

trustmeimlying1

20

Original post by CurlyBen

There's lots of talk about how crucial engineers are to industry, but then industry tends not to make engineering that attractive an option. I studied engineering and worked in the field for a couple of years, but pay was mediocre, job satisfaction wasn't great and progression was slow. So... I left engineering for a career which is more attractive. I'm far from an isolated case - even those of my friends still working in engineering aren't overly enamoured of the industry anymore.

what yeh work as now

Reply 8

sabana

20

I've got a mathematics degree, suppose my skills will always be in demand :smile:

Reply 9

The_Internet

20

Do network "engineers" count?

Reply 10

TeeEm

19

No worries ...
we we import some.

Reply 11

FriendlyPenguin

20

Original post by TeeEm

No worries ...
we we import some.

Western policy since WWII

Unfortunately, this leaves 'source' countries with a brain drain, which locks them into poverty

Reply 12

sleepyspider

8

And people say STEM subjects aren't ignored.

We need to get kids interested in these subjects from an early age.

This annoys me so much :angry:

Reply 13

sleepyspider

8

“People still think that taking maths and physics means you become a teacher, or work in a lab, rather than creating animations or building apps, or going into data science.”

lmao at the amount of people who think I want to be a teacher whenever I tell them that I'm going to study Physics at uni

Reply 14

whydoidothis?

21

Considering many people go into sixth form with the bare minimum GCSE requirements and end up doing Business studies, Film studies and geography this is not surprising.

Reply 15

Student403

19

Original post by TeeEm

No worries ...
we we import some.

Plently would love to come and are ready

Reply 16

TheArtofProtest

2

Original post by paul514

Fine, let the shortage come, pay them more and they will get more interest in positions.

That is of course if there is enough training places which I don't know.

The solution to not enough x is always one of the two

We need a professionals who are interested in contributing to their fields and making exceptional progress in their fields for the benefit of their field and wider society.

The problem isn't that it doesn't pay but the repulsive narrative that we are currently being exposed to which is that "Money is everything".

For the first couple of years, you may find that money does motivate you but then your job simply becomes about picking up a paycheck.

If you want a short-term solution where people only come and enter professional fields for monetary reward without any passion or desire for it, then yes, offering them huge salaries will work but it will come to corrupt the integrity and standards that have been built over the years.

Reply 17

Ravenous

17

Time for some good old fashioned immigration

Reply 18

Juichiro

18

Original post by YesAllMen

within the next few years unless more pupils are encouraged to take up the subjects at school
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/12140410/Kids-dont-like-physics-and-maths-study-finds-out-why.html

One could just simply focus on why pupils don't like those subjects and work his way forwards. As opposed to looking at it from an economic perspective.

Original post by CurlyBen

There's lots of talk about how crucial engineers are to industry, but then industry tends not to make engineering that attractive an option. I studied engineering and worked in the field for a couple of years, but pay was mediocre, job satisfaction wasn't great and progression was slow. So... I left engineering for a career which is more attractive. I'm far from an isolated case - even those of my friends still working in engineering aren't overly enamoured of the industry anymore.

This. If the industry wants to keep its employees, it needs to prove it.

Original post by sleepyspider

“People still think that taking maths and physics means you become a teacher, or work in a lab, rather than creating animations or building apps, or going into data science.”
lmao at the amount of people who think I want to be a teacher whenever I tell them that I'm going to study Physics at uni

Data science is just a buzzword for data analysis so it's not necessarily anymore enticing than engineering to the average Joe. And most people doing animations or apps don't do maths or physics so that point is invalid.

Original post by TheArtofProtest

We need a professionals who are interested in contributing to their fields and making exceptional progress in their fields for the benefit of their field and wider society.
The problem isn't that it doesn't pay but the repulsive narrative that we are currently being exposed to which is that "Money is everything".
For the first couple of years, you may find that money does motivate you but then your job simply becomes about picking up a paycheck.
If you want a short-term solution where people only come and enter professional fields for monetary reward without any passion or desire for it, then yes, offering them huge salaries will work but it will come to corrupt the integrity and standards that have been built over the years.

Yes, but those motivated by their field will probably be in a position to choose companies that treat them well. Even if those companies are in other countries. Thus, they will eventually leave and companies will still have shortages because they are not attractive to enough to attract and retain good workers. Globalisation works both ways.