Shortage of engineers is getting worse

gadgetmind

"UK recovery constrained by lack of engineers"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24779016

"Warning over shortage of engineering graduates"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19760351

... and "the UK already relies on "inward migration" to fill skilled jobs in key sectors such as oil and gas extraction, aerospace, and computer, electronic and optical engineering."

Sadly we've had another graduate from Spain start working for us and we're flying another over this week (at our expense) for an interview. Thanks to this immigration, we are keeping our heads above water, but why do we consistently fail to educate enough good engineers in the UK?

What makes it worse is when you read about high graduate unemployment in the UK due to us producing too many non-STEM graduates.

Prothet_of_Doom

It's been coming for 15 years, but in the last 3 or 4 it's suddenly hit the big manaufacturing companies, that in order to achieve what their shareholders are looking for in terms of new product, they needed to be training and nurturing and paying the next generation of Engineers in much greated quantity than they have ever done.

Basically the apprentices and graduates from the 1960's are all retiring, and in the 80's and 90's they supply was greater than demand.

But it won't actually be a problem as the big boys are subcontracting the work to india.

saintjammyswine

In FE Colleges there has been a big push in the last few years to promote STEM subjects, the trouble is that many young people dont want to wait the time it takes to become proficient enough to earn good money whereas construction trades can earn decent money in half the time.

gadgetmind

Our graduate starting salary is now about £28k in the grim north and a bit more "darn sarf". However, we need good degrees so a FE college is perhaps doing the right thing given their remit.

saintjammyswine

There has been a massive increase in Higher level (level 4 & above) courses being done at FE Colleges with the increase in HE tuition fees.

dshart

I think the government should steer more people into areas or required expertise by reducing university fees for such degrees. This could be balanced by an increase in fees in courses where there are too many graduates.

jamesmorgan

According to HESA, here are some of the findings for unemployment rates for 2012 graduates by subject:

Medicine & dentistry 0.2%
Education 4.0%
Subjects allied to medicine 5.1%
Veterinary science 6.5%
Law 7.2%
Biological sciences 8.0%
Combined 8.0%
Languages 8.7%
Agriculture & related subjects 8.9%
Mathematical sciences 9.1%
Historical & philosophical studies 9.1%
Social studies 9.5%
Physical sciences 9.8%
Business & administrative studies 10.0%
Architecture, building & planning 10.2%
Engineering & technology 10.5%
Creative arts & design 11.2%
Mass communications & documentation 12.4%
Computer science 14.4%


It doesn't look like engineering, and in particular Computer Science lead to better job prospects. Even the much derided Media Studies seems to be a better degree for employability.

gadgetmind

We're desperate for people with good (1st or 2.1) Computer Science degrees and who can also show a strong interest in the subject rather than just knowing what their course taught them. Unfortunately, that seems to be what every other employer in our sector wants too!

Of course, you also need to look at grades and whether people find a role in their chosen field or just take a MacJob.

jamesmorgan

gadgetmind wrote: »

We're desperate for people with good (1st or 2.1) Computer Science degrees and who can also show a strong interest in the subject rather than just knowing what their course taught them. Unfortunately, that seems to be what every other employer in our sector wants too!

The 'cream' will always be in short supply and fought over. The key question is what happens with the average graduate. Do companies invest in them, or do they take the easy option and recruit experienced alternatives from abroad. Current unemployment figures suggest the latter.

gadgetmind

If a computer scientists who can actually program is regarded as the "cream" in the UK, then we really do have problems!

Employers don't have the skills or time to provide remedial eduction to those who didn't have the ability and/or drive to gain the required skills and knowledge while at university.

Computer Science isn't a subject you can bluff your way through and neither are our interviews. You need to understand the subject and be able to write software to solve problems, often difficult ones, and we test that people can do this.

Fortunately, most of those who make it to interview are up to this, but there simply aren't enough applications, hence us pulling in people from across the EU.

colino

Low status for Engineers is an issue and those good ones that stay in the industry inevitably move through the management ranks and get further and further away from actual engineering. The finished product coming into engineering from FE or Universities really need a lot of polishing too before they begin to make the grade. We're long overdue a split in higher education for a more definite streaming for vocational studies. One recent recruit I'm aware of, a year stacking shelves post-uni then with three months with a very established precision engineers, is off to be a "consultant".