

U.S. pushes for more scientists, but the jobs aren’t there - wyclif
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-pushes-for-more-scientists-but-the-jobs-arent-there/2012/07/07/gJQAZJpQUW_story.html

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simonbarker87
This is exactly why I viewed my PhD as a 3 year graduate scheme and a jon that
just so happened to let me call myself a doctor at the end of it. I know PhDs
take longer in the US than here in the UK so maybe this method wouldn't
translate well, but I treated my PhD as a job on a three year fixed term
contract, during which time I had a series of tasks to complete and some
milestones to hit with a big report at the end of it.

I knew I never wanted to be an academic when I started, if opportunities arose
to change my mind then fine but given that the majority of PhDs do not get
academic positions I think it is important to look at a PhD like a graduate
job rather than the first step on the academic ladder.

I did electronics though so I guess my view point is different from the case
studies in the article.

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carsongross
And yet employers can't find enough advanced workers:

    
    
      http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/local_news/advanced-manufacturers-cant-find-qualified-workers
    
      http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2012/smallbusiness/1204/gallery.employees/index.html
    
      http://www.abc57.com/home/top-stories/SWM-Manufacturers-want-to-hire-cant-find-qualified-employees-139332703.html
    

It's like there is some third party in play, disrupting the market, favoring
basic research over practical application, in league with a nefarious fourth
party that provides subsidized, non-dischargeable financing for the traps laid
by the third party.

