How would you make up for shortfalls in engineers, doctors etc?

[kwackers]

So we have a shortage of engineers, doctors, scientists etc

What would you do to fix that?
Personally I'd cut the tuition fees for the groups of people you need and raise it for those you don't.

Seems the government are thinking exactly the opposite. The theory is that because they'll earn more they can afford to pay more!
But hang on, if there aren't enough now and arts based further education is cheaper and therefore more attractive how is that going to fix anything?

Hopefully I'm missing something (or the leak is wrong) and of course at the moment it's just under consideration but even so...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46074099

[meic]

Improve pay and/or working conditions.

[kwackers]

Improve pay and/or working conditions.

I'm not sure that's the issue. With the exception of scientists (who seem massively underpaid if the adverts in New Scientist are to be believed) most of the other groups do quite nicely.

I think the above subjects are seen as 'hard' and thus avoided whereas a media studies or fine art degree seem fairly easy and satisfy the basic desire to come out of higher education with a degree.

Of course the rot may well start at school in which case something would need doing earlier but at any rate making it more expensive to train is extremely unlikely to increase the number of people taking it up - particularly as they'll be in careers with wages high enough that the fees will have to be repaid.

[meic]

most of the other groups do quite nicely.

The doctors may get good money but they can have intolerable working conditions.
In my day most of the best of the engineering graduates were creamed off by other professions offering much more money.

[Cyril Haearn]

Automation and more efficiency and better health through Active Travel

[profpointy]

Since, I’n Mr Gove’s words “we’ve had enough of experts” we can just get non-experts in to do these sort of jobs - brain surgeon, aerospace engineer and so on; it’s all on YouTube these days after all

[kwackers]

The doctors may get good money but they can have intolerable working conditions.
In my day most of the best of the engineering graduates were creamed off by other professions offering much more money.

Fair point.

These days global demand for engineering seems to be a prime mover in their loss.

[Cyril Haearn]

Many doctors work shifts, too many hours in a+e saving peoples lives

Restricting alcohol sales would help a lot

[landsurfer]

Improve pay and/or working conditions.

Degree Engineer, Graduate.. £30-35k per annum, Chartered or 5 years+ in industry.. £40 - 65K per annum .... money is not the issue ..
Its not an easy option and you might get dirty .... not what the millennials want, they want to sit in front of a screen and tap keys ...
There are still a lot of IKB's out there but they get snapped up quick..
And often Graduate Engineers see their long term future as managers ... not Engineers...

[meic]

And often Graduate Engineers see their long term future as managers ... not Engineers...

Because you get a lot more money doing that.

[landsurfer]

And often Graduate Engineers see their long term future as managers ... not Engineers...

Because you get a lot more money doing that.

Do they ... do they really .... or is it just easier .....

Are they looking for employment just below the threshold of repayment?
A graduate couple employed "just below the threshold" have a comfortable combined income ?

[meic]

Easier in what way?
Doing easier work for the same money implies that the harder work should be better paid, not worse paid, than the easy work.

[landsurfer]

I'm currently advertising for a Mechanical Engineer .. £60k, Project Manager .. £45k and a Graduate Engineer (Mech Eng or Mechatronics) for an R&D role .. £35k ....
All with company vehicles and flexible working patterns ...

Lets see what we get ??

[landsurfer]

A lot of Graduate Engineers are really only good at maths ( I'm a Chartered Engineer by the way, 30 years ago) .... Getting under a train in the muck and dirt of reality engineering is not for them .. £60K and get dirty or £40K and stay clean .... You could not make it up .... it's so frustrating !

[landsurfer]

So we have a shortage of engineers, doctors, scientists etc What would you do to fix that?
Personally I'd cut the tuition fees for the groups of people you need and raise it for those you don't.

Thats a resounding +1....