News

Dyson frets over "the glamour of web fads and video gaming"
Posted: 10.01.2013 10:20 by Nick Akerman Comments: 4
Sir James Dyson wants the UK government to boost its technology industry, and fears a lack of engineering graduates in the country.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Dyson indicated "the glamour of web fads and video gaming" was being put ahead of "tangible technology that we can export".

"The government must do more to attract the brightest and best into engineering and science so that we can compete internationally," he said.

"26% of engineering graduates do not go into engineering or technical professions. More worrying is that 85% of all engineering and science postgraduates in our universities come from outside the UK.

"Yet nine in 10 leave the UK after they finish their studies. British knowledge is simply taken abroad.

"Engineering postgraduates need to be encouraged with generous salaries. A salary of £7,000 a year for postgraduate research is insulting."

Does Dyson have a point?

Comments

By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Jan 10, 2013
SirRoderick
He does, main reason I didn't go for an academic career is that there was no point working that hard for such a paltry living, not to mention the debt you'll build up.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Jan 10, 2013
herodotus
I agree, but the commercial aspect to the industry keeps research projects funded.
By SirRoderick (SI Elite) on Jan 10, 2013
SirRoderick
It keeps the company projects funded sure, but it won't help the grad students get a decent living out of their years of hard work, most of them end up in other sectors just because of the difficulties. I know several of them personally :/
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Jan 10, 2013
herodotus
As do I, and unfortunately it has become somewhat of a Gypsy lifestyle, more akin to Acting, where they go from project to project. Nature of the beast as it stands, unless of course something wonderful happens and Capitalism falls.