Thursday, March 01, 2007
Lack of Students? Why?
A few days ago, I saw in an article that Bill (Bubba) Gates was concerned about the dearth of students in this country entering the sciences, including math, computer, and engineering. I don't have the numbers at hand, but there appears to be a serious shortage of people entering these fields in America.
I've been thinking on this subject for some time. I've been in the mechanical design field since 1973. I've seen the transformation of the typical engineering office from the old model of a room filled with drawing tables all lined up, facing the all powerful head engineer, whose drawing table was often on a raised platform facing our tables, to a large office filled with cubicles containing computers, the chief engineer now ensconced in his own office, with his own computer. I left the drawing board behind 1987, and entered the world of CAD (Computer Aided Design) never looking back. I loved the new medium. The same couldn't be said of my co-workers, many of whom were reluctent to leave the board they knew so well behind. But leave it they did, as the companies they worked for gave them no choice. "Use the computer or retire!"
One of the advantages of the computer design, quickly sharing information with other designeers and engineers, is also one of the drawbacks. At least it can be for people like me. The use of high speed networks allows work to be farmed out to CAD sweatshops located overseas, employing people who will work for MUCH LESS than I do.
About two years ago, my son announced he was entering the University to obtain a psychology degree. This surprised me somewhat, as tests and experience had shown he was quite good with computers, and probably would have made a fine computer/software engineer. When I asked him why he had chosen psychology over computers, he told me "Why should I spend tens of thousands of dollars getting a degree, when they're probably going to ship my job overseas by the time I graduate anyway?" I had no good answer for him. I wrote a letter to the editor of the local Daily Blab recounting that conversation. Several of my contemporaries noted it, and contended that perhaps he had been exaggerating things a bit and was over reacting.
Then I read this in the morning paper today:
"We could be a successful international company for the foreseeable future without ever hiring another American citizen"
Craig R. Barrett, chairman Intel Corp, to the National Higher Education Leadership Summit, Jan 22.
And think maybe he wasn't over reacting after all.
I've been thinking on this subject for some time. I've been in the mechanical design field since 1973. I've seen the transformation of the typical engineering office from the old model of a room filled with drawing tables all lined up, facing the all powerful head engineer, whose drawing table was often on a raised platform facing our tables, to a large office filled with cubicles containing computers, the chief engineer now ensconced in his own office, with his own computer. I left the drawing board behind 1987, and entered the world of CAD (Computer Aided Design) never looking back. I loved the new medium. The same couldn't be said of my co-workers, many of whom were reluctent to leave the board they knew so well behind. But leave it they did, as the companies they worked for gave them no choice. "Use the computer or retire!"
One of the advantages of the computer design, quickly sharing information with other designeers and engineers, is also one of the drawbacks. At least it can be for people like me. The use of high speed networks allows work to be farmed out to CAD sweatshops located overseas, employing people who will work for MUCH LESS than I do.
About two years ago, my son announced he was entering the University to obtain a psychology degree. This surprised me somewhat, as tests and experience had shown he was quite good with computers, and probably would have made a fine computer/software engineer. When I asked him why he had chosen psychology over computers, he told me "Why should I spend tens of thousands of dollars getting a degree, when they're probably going to ship my job overseas by the time I graduate anyway?" I had no good answer for him. I wrote a letter to the editor of the local Daily Blab recounting that conversation. Several of my contemporaries noted it, and contended that perhaps he had been exaggerating things a bit and was over reacting.
Then I read this in the morning paper today:
"We could be a successful international company for the foreseeable future without ever hiring another American citizen"
Craig R. Barrett, chairman Intel Corp, to the National Higher Education Leadership Summit, Jan 22.
And think maybe he wasn't over reacting after all.
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From my experiences in rubbing elbows with the academic "great" [sic] for the best part of eight years, they all seem to report one of two reasons Engineering and the Sciences, to wanting. 1)It's too hard. 2)Everybody wants to go hug a damn tree, or a whale.
The latter indicates a sadly under educated group of kiddies.
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The latter indicates a sadly under educated group of kiddies.
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