UK Tech Schools Losing More Applicants

It appears, according to an article at Silicon.com, that the number of youngsters applying for technology degrees in the UK has fallen to half the level it was in 2001. Many in the industry see this as a sign of the failure of the industry to court the young and also as being a bad omen for those who are pushing to keep intact the UK's status as a high tech nation.

I'm not so worried, as I see this as a change in people's perceptions and a change in the nature of training. I'm not certain that universities are the right venue to train future technology experts. I'm more in favor of trade schools, certification, and regular retraining or upgrading. The technology we use is changing on a more frequent basis and the ponderous pace of our educational institutions is too slow to adapt to these changes.

I also think that most specialized degrees are a waste of time, technology-wise, unless you are dealing with development and scientific innovation. Technology schools must teach more in the way of analytical approaches and research methods, rather than specific languages and systems. Teach the student how to think and problem solve, rather than how to address specific problems and you’re on a winning streak.

The industry also needs to pay people more money. The average tech salary in the UK and North America is poor, especially when compared to the cost of living, with the UK clearly well behind the curve. Even low level tech salaries kept pace throughout the '80s and actually exceeded the average during the '90s. But the tech crashes and downturns during 2000-2002 forced tech salaries to lose an enormous amount of ground which in many regions has never been regained.