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Folks,
An interesting discussion.
I served a toolmakers apprenticeship within the UK Nuclear industry in the late 1980's. In 1987 when I started my training we had 8000 people on site, when I left in 1991 there were less than 2000 ! This was due to Government cutbacks, however this trend seemed to apply to a lot of the UK's Engineering industries during this time.
I got myself a Mechanical Engineering degree & then realised that whilst I loved what I did for a living, I was never going to get rich doing it.
I have been living in Australia now for 5 years. The money for Graduate Engineers seems to be better, the standard of living is much better & Engineers seem to be held in higher regard.
I would dearly love to return to the UK someday, however unless the way Ol Blighty treats her Engineers changes drastically, I'll probably be staying put in Oz.
Just remember, it will only take 3 to 4 decades of no apprenticeships + the steady reduction of graduate engineers going through the education system to totally wipe out UK Engineering on the world map.
Even Australia (who traditionally have imported most of their skilled workers) is increasing the number of apprenticeships available & is actively promoting that young people learn a trade. If this keeps up, the worm may turn & the UK may one day have to start importing Aussie Engineers.
I had an Aussie plumber in at work recently, who proudly told me that he was trained (clearly very well) by an English tradesman during his apprenticeship.
Note: When starting Uni in 1991, the Whitworth Scholarship was the scholarship to win. It is a very sad state of affairs how times have changed.
Berko
An interesting discussion.
I served a toolmakers apprenticeship within the UK Nuclear industry in the late 1980's. In 1987 when I started my training we had 8000 people on site, when I left in 1991 there were less than 2000 ! This was due to Government cutbacks, however this trend seemed to apply to a lot of the UK's Engineering industries during this time.
I got myself a Mechanical Engineering degree & then realised that whilst I loved what I did for a living, I was never going to get rich doing it.
I have been living in Australia now for 5 years. The money for Graduate Engineers seems to be better, the standard of living is much better & Engineers seem to be held in higher regard.
I would dearly love to return to the UK someday, however unless the way Ol Blighty treats her Engineers changes drastically, I'll probably be staying put in Oz.
Just remember, it will only take 3 to 4 decades of no apprenticeships + the steady reduction of graduate engineers going through the education system to totally wipe out UK Engineering on the world map.
Even Australia (who traditionally have imported most of their skilled workers) is increasing the number of apprenticeships available & is actively promoting that young people learn a trade. If this keeps up, the worm may turn & the UK may one day have to start importing Aussie Engineers.
I had an Aussie plumber in at work recently, who proudly told me that he was trained (clearly very well) by an English tradesman during his apprenticeship.
Note: When starting Uni in 1991, the Whitworth Scholarship was the scholarship to win. It is a very sad state of affairs how times have changed.
Berko
