Warning Over Engineering Shortage

I was wondering, if the engineering graduates numbers are weak, which markets are these people saturating............. non-engineering public sector?

If it's anything like over here it's business courses.

Easy in comparison but most importantly very cheap to run (from the University's point of view). They make more money, but it is going to bite the country in the arse in the long run.

We're sliding that way also.

The trend started with a undergraduates degree in engineering, after shortly graduating closely followed by something to the effect of MBA.

Theres a term for that, "Two many Chiefs, not enough Indians."

Not very Politically Correct, I'm just fortunate I don't care being P.C.

This is at odds with universities here closing their engineering courses of late. Supply and demand?

It's a funny old world...

I wonder if this is related to the recent announcements re massive increases in tertiary tuition fees in UK ? Also, it wouldn't surprise me if engineering courses are more pricy than commercial courses.

All things being equal, the media releases around investment bankers' earnings may be a deciding factor in prospective students' choices. Most will make their choice from a base of ignorance, so rather become a high flyer on high street (with perceived infinite earning potential), than an engineer in a factory....

Tuition increases in the UK, we have the same issues.

But the reason for the United States is because the government makes it so easy to get student loans we have a lot of private college$ that are cashing in.

In Green Bay, Wisconsin in the last 10 years we had 4-5 New colleges/campuses built from ground up.

ITT Technical Institute, Globe, Rasmussen I can't keep up. Not to mention the colleges in the outlaying area such as Phoenix Universities.

Along with huge expansions to our established local Technical colleges, such Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, (NWTC) which is an excellent college offering (2) year technical degrees. As well as our University of Wisconsin -Green Bay, part of the Wisconsin's UW system which is racked high nationally.

But back to tuition. The government makes loans so easy, that the schools are cashing in. Some of which are not certified that credit can transfer to a ABET accredited college.

Or, they are offering Liberal Arts degrees in social programs i.e. a social worker that pays $28,000.00- $35,000 /year (if they can get a job) while you rack up $100,000.00 in government subsidized and unsubsidied loans. (about 4-1/2% to 6% interest respectively )

People that do that are fools. And then go on a talk shows, and talk how the schools victimize them. Idiots......

IMO, this country is creating a nanny state, for a generation that is highly dependant on government programs.... and free stuff, that is paid for by the fewer and fewer working class that actually pays taxes with out expecting the government to supply them with support.

^{ooo, I feel better now.}

NO b'ZERO 2012

While you make very valid points, especially the 'Return of Investment' versus the cost of education, there are still other problems.

I have had many co-workers who have started a degree program, suffered a setback due to whatever reason, ie. a family member getting sick, and then being told that all of the credits they had earned up to that point no longer mattered when trying to get back in and finish the degree program later.

It's not that the information they had learned was no longer valid, the basic principles really don't ever change, but because the school basically required them to start over so they could charge full admittance fee.

Talk about a real 'turn-off' to completing a degree program.

I have had many co-workers who have started a degree program, suffered a setback due to whatever reason, ie. a family member getting sick,

Thats what happen to my Brother in the 70's had to go for and extra year because of the curriculum change that occurred he was gone, he was only gone for one semester. And some of my friends I went to college with. if they did not take the full course load for a semester, they got hosed.........

When I was going to college, I was always leery, and basically took a heavy class load. As it turned out, the curriculum change, the the courses they were dropping or making them an electorate, I thought were very good for the foundation of my education,....... such as Physical Metallurgy and tool design. I took them prior before they were dropped, I did not have my requirements for these, but they let me take them due to my grades and willing to pay $$$$$ for the tuition. It was worth it.

What they were replaced those requirements with, was also good classes, of which I also took and applied them to another degree. Electrical Controls for Machines and such........

and then being told that all of the credits they had earned up to that point no longer mattered when trying to get back in and finish the degree program later.

We have the same thing down here (at least for Engineering courses), but the grace period is something like 10 years.

In my case course credit was used for a Degree program three years later and I HAD to be complete the degree within the 10 year window (10-3=7 years) or I had to do the lot again.

It's not that the information they had learned was no longer valid, the basic principles really don't ever change, but because the school basically required them to start over so they could charge full admittance fee.

Again down here (for Engineering at least) it appears to NOT be the case, instead it seems to be because Engineering (and I am assuming similar fields like computer sciences) change at such a massive rate that the stuff you were taught 5-10 years ago is not as valid today (anyone shaving their own crystals or programming PLCS using Hex?) and new fields are popping up all the time (FPGA for example).

Sure the basics are still valid, but there are some pretty big holes in a 10 year old Engineering or computer course.