Happens everywhere

[r_transpose_p]

Apparently Japan isn't producing enough engineers anymore

Comments

[talldean]

Is it not enough people able to become engineers, not enough openings in institutions that train engineers, not enough people interested in becoming engineers, or not enough people interested in becoming engineers at a certain pay rate?

Doctors in America suffer primarily from #2, which was always odd to me, so we import docs from India, among other places.

[angelbob]

I don't think engineers suffer problem #2. We've got significantly more capacity in engineering schools, and a surprising number of engineers do it mostly by self-study. Might be #1, #3 or #4, though, or some combination of them.

[talldean]

Engineering isn't sexy, and the perceived workload is pretty high.

Actually, I'm going to say the workload is pretty high, compared to the other white collar jobs I've seen over the years. Unless it's something you're going to intrinsically enjoy, it's probably not for ya.

[sylvie]

I think engineering is sexy, but I also realize that's a pretty unusual preference :P
At least its perceived workload approximately matches its actual one. You get problems with hopeful-and-hopeless idiots in fields (like cooking, writing, acting) where the actual workload is much higher than the perceived.

[oren]

Once you reach first world status and assuming you have no external enemies, people have less reason to work hard enough through school to become good engineers, doctors, etc. We see a shortage in all of these areas. Why study when even mediocre careers and grades get you everything you need. Also after a successful generation you have money from parents.

[r_transpose_p]

Someone once told me that the utility curve for money was roughly logarithmic.

Not sure how this plays in.

[slgarrett]

Personally, if I had been thinking more clearly, I'd have been a ballerina.

[r_transpose_p]

awesome.