The Youth

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Fuck me, you're married?

You don’t know much about anything, do you? You just thrash around making stupid assumptions.

 

[mexico1970]

You don’t know much about anything, do you? You just thrash around making stupid assumptions.

Amen.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Amen.

Case in point.

 

[oldius]

One of my kids is currently looking at Electrical Engineering degrees (or possibly degree apprenticeships) he's very keen on the idea of leaving the UK after his studies and he's skewing his decisions to give him that sort of option. He has a mate who is by all accounts a talented Oxbridge level physicist and another who is the strongest mathematician in what is a large 6th form and they both also have been discussing the benefits of life outside the UK with him. I would estimate out of his friendship group maybe as many as a third are working on the premise they'll leave the UK sooner rather than later and about half are open to the idea.

Now that's only anecdotal but I find it really disturbing that if those sorts of conversations are taking place at anywhere near the same levels in other schools and colleges what type of brain drain and skills shortages are we looking at?

I don't think this is just the repeating pattern of generational differences and young people moaning. I think it's qualitatively different and I think over the last period we've broken a lot of young people's relationship with this country as both citizens and economic actors.

I'm hoping that if we now see even some small movements towards greater equitably and some evidence we have the will to tackle our structural issues that it might persuade our youngsters that it's a place worth living and contributing to.

It's an appalling and quite disturbing situation for us to have got ourselves into and I think some people just don't realise that ultimately you reap what you sow.

Super post.
The internet has really opened up people's eyes to opportunity. Why would I live in the UK on a starting salary of 25k with a cost of living that will take all of it, and morez when I could earn more and live far more cheaply elsewhere?

 

[Kompany Car]

One of my kids is currently looking at Electrical Engineering degrees (or possibly degree apprenticeships) he's very keen on the idea of leaving the UK after his studies and he's skewing his decisions to give him that sort of option. He has a mate who is by all accounts a talented Oxbridge level physicist and another who is the strongest mathematician in what is a large 6th form and they both also have been discussing the benefits of life outside the UK with him. I would estimate out of his friendship group maybe as many as a third are working on the premise they'll leave the UK sooner rather than later and about half are open to the idea.

Now that's only anecdotal but I find it really disturbing that if those sorts of conversations are taking place at anywhere near the same levels in other schools and colleges what type of brain drain and skills shortages are we looking at?

I don't think this is just the repeating pattern of generational differences and young people moaning. I think it's qualitatively different and I think over the last period we've broken a lot of young people's relationship with this country as both citizens and economic actors.

I'm hoping that if we now see even some small movements towards greater equitably and some evidence we have the will to tackle our structural issues that it might persuade our youngsters that it's a place worth living and contributing to.

It's an appalling and quite disturbing situation for us to have got ourselves into and I think some people just don't realise that ultimately you reap what you sow.

To be honest mate with electrical engineering I can only see the salaries going up as there is certainly a shortage of people at the transmission voltage end so 132kV and above. Whole swathes of the older end retired about 5yrs ago and now there’s a shortage. If you want to get one from abroad on a skilled worker visa or move someone from a tier 4 student visa, you’re looking at paying 57k+ as a minimum (57k being the median wage of a UK electrical eng). Plus there’s a lot of work for at least the next 10 yrs in the energy sector. Not really in renewables which all the universities get excited about, but instead trying to sort all the connections to the grid and increasing capacity of the network.

 

[threespires]

To be honest mate with electrical engineering I can only see the salaries going up as there is certainly a shortage of people at the transmission voltage end so 132kV and above. Whole swathes of the older end retired about 5yrs ago and now there’s a shortage. If you want to get one from abroad on a skilled worker visa or move someone from a tier 4 student visa, you’re looking at paying 57k+ as a minimum (57k being the median wage of a UK electrical eng). Plus there’s a lot of work for at least the next 10 yrs in the energy sector. Not really in renewables which all the universities get excited about, but instead trying to sort all the connections to the grid and increasing capacity of the network.

Yes and to some extent I'm hoping that might keep him here but looking at grad salaries and then cost of living/housing, even in well paid jobs the numbers aren't that favourable compared to some countries these days.

I remember growing up, that owner occupation was viewed as a much more commonly British thing than in other parts of Europe but I'm sure I read somewhere that the EU owner occupier average is now close to 70% whereas in the UK it's down at the below 65% now. Doubtless that is skewed a bit countries with virtually no rental sector like Romania but still indicative of the kind of changing trends we have seen.

 

[Ifwecouldjust.......]

Yes and to some extent I'm hoping that might keep him here but looking at grad salaries and then cost of living/housing, even in well paid jobs the numbers aren't that favourable compared to some countries these days.

I remember growing up, that owner occupation was viewed as a much more commonly British thing than in other parts of Europe but I'm sure I read somewhere that the EU owner occupier average is now close to 70% whereas in the UK it's down at the below 65% now. Doubtless that is skewed a bit countries with virtually no rental sector like Romania but still indicative of the kind of changing trends we have seen.

My partners son (Joiner) has gone out to Australia ....trebled his salary ... just earned citizenship after 5 years ... best thing he's ever done he reckons.

 

[Blue Maverick]

How do people who have done degrees here and have got a loan to pay for it pay it back if they’ve emigrated, I know you only start paying above a certain amount but how do the uk monitor that?