BP 'cannot find skilled workers'

ILW

gadgetmind wrote: »

This is a problem we fight on a daily basis, and we'd increase our headcount by 25% almost immediately if we could find enough good grads. Note I'm not saying we need experienced people, just good grads!

Fortunately, we're starting to find good people in Spain, Greece and Italy who find the £24-25k starting salary, with fast escalator, and great benefits, to be very attractive.

Come on Brits, engineering isn't that hard and the pay is actually pretty good!

Why not take on non-grads with the required skills?

gadgetmind

ILW wrote: »

Why not take on non-grads with the required skills?

Because a non-grad won't have the skills/knowledge that a good degree course will teach. We do take work experience and placement students (and we sponsor the good people through university) but these degrees teach the skills that are actually needed on the job.

At least they should: we interview a whole load of people with 1st class and upper 2nd degrees who don't seemed to have picked up a right lot about the subject!

Don't get me wrong. I do think a lot of employers do just want to see a bit of paper, and don't care too much about the subject taken, and they *would* be better off taking bright A-level students, but we need people who have done relevant subjects at degree level.

ChiefGrasscutter

gadgetmind wrote: »

At least they should: we interview a whole load of people with 1st class and upper 2nd degrees who don't seemed to have picked up a right lot about the subject!

I know someone in the ultra high tech side of the oil industry.
They tell me they only interview Phd's now, they have given up on mere graduates

I'm assuming this is because wheras once a graduate as well as an indepth knowledge of the subject would have shown the ability to work unaided/unguided, now they are finding that only having done a full research project (ie a doctorate's level post grad study) are the potential employees at a level that they would find suitable.

I had to do a research project as part of the 3rd year of my engineering course (in between the lectures) when I did my engineering degree - no idea whether it's still done.

CLAPTON

ultrawomble wrote: »

Ah, I didn't realise that you were giving the maximum available starting salaries depending on working conditions.

Did your contacts also confirm your theories on doctor numbers being institutionally restricted?

I was giving the 'standard normal everyday starting salary for a 23 year old doctor that has just completed their 5 years at Uni and starting a job at a hospital

if you don't believe me then find a young doctor and ask them for yourself.

there are loads of 'trade unions' that engage in restrictive practice; posh jobs are no diffferent

there is absolutely no reason why we couldn't have educated sufficient doctors as we have guarenteed vacancies for them once they graduate.
the only reason is that the number allowed in our teaching institutions was been restricted since the formation of the NHS

I can think of no other area of our education system where we have had long term inbalance between supply and (excess) demand.

we have been 'importing' foreign doctors for years and continue to do so

If you genuinely think we lack sufficient people with talent then so be it

On another note, the Victoria Underground line in London was build in the 60/70 and designed to run without a driver
today 40/50 years later they actually still have a driver.
restrictive practices are not restricted to doctors you see.

wymondham

Looks like BP arent the only ones unhappy...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2026858/Bosses-condemn-useless-degrees-leave-graduates-lacking-basic-skills.html

Glad I didn't do media studies!

gadgetmind

ChiefGrasscutter wrote: »

I know someone in the ultra high tech side of the oil industry.
They tell me they only interview Phd's now, they have given up on mere graduates

I wish we could afford to be quite that picky! As it happens, we do employ people with masters and PhDs, but our pay increment is only a few grand on top.

Mr_Mumble

Damning words from James Dyson too:

Dyson employed 200 new engineers in Britain last year, doubling the number of highly skilled workers at its Malmesbury site and plans to bring that number to 700. However, Sir James said that the company was struggling to find a sufficient number of workers, particularly graduates, willing to join the business despite a starting salary of £25,200 and a £3,000 joining bonus.

He said that demand for engineers would quadruple over the coming years with the number of positions already outstripping the number of people graduating with relevant degrees. “Iran produces twice as many engineering graduates as England, as does the Philippines. We produce three times as many psychology students as engineers,” he said.

Times (£)

gadgetmind

wymondham wrote: »

Glad I didn't do media studies!

I have a "potted talk" I give to engineering students at local Unis that explains why employers don't want engineers who have dodged all the maths modules because they seem to hard.

People seem to think that soft A-levels followed by an easy degree is the best route to an easy life. Sorry, smart people do smart things that less smart people are incapable of doing, and we want the smart people.

I try and get the message across that if you've done difficult A-levels and gone for a STEM degree then you need to keep it up and ensure you have the mental tools to tackle all aspects of engineering.

gadgetmind

Mr_Mumble wrote: »

We produce three times as many psychology students as engineers

That is deeply, deeply depressing. What chance does the UK have with a work-force like that? Is it any wonder that we have to pull young people from abroad while those we educate at home queue to sign on?

kabayiri

gadgetmind wrote: »

That is deeply, deeply depressing. What chance does the UK have with a work-force like that? Is it any wonder that we have to pull young people from abroad while those we educate at home queue to sign on?

We just don't value engineers here, and we haven't for decades.

The status of 'engineer' means more in Germany and France.

Sir Monty Finniston was tasked with looking at this in the late 70s. Many of his recommendations were not implemented.

The likelihood is that you have greater job security being a plumber or electrician these days. It's not easy to offshore domestic plumbing needs.