Difference between revisions of "Decrease of Highly Educated Technology Workforce"

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===Description:===
===Description:===
to be completed Following discussion as part of the European Lisboa conference (2000), the government of The Netherlands has set itself a target to become one of the most competitive and dynamic knowledge economies of the world. In order to realize this goal, the government wants to increase R&D spending to 3% of GDP vs. current spending of 1.8% only (2004). One of the main drivers of the succesful realisation of this goal comprises the availability of sufficient numbers of highly educated technological professionals for both public and private research institutions.
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As it currently stands, the number of technological students in The Netherlands has been declining for many years in a row. In addition it appears, that after graduation, a large part of the technological professionals prefer to work in general business roles rather than scientific or engineering roles. Consequently, the number of technological affluent employees is expected to continue to decline going forward.
This page is being edited by Piotr Ptasinski, EMBA09
 
 
As it currently stands, the number of technological students in the Netherlands has been declining for many years in a row. In addition it appears, that after graduation, a large part of the technological professionals prefer to work abroad, or in general business roles rather than scientific or engineering roles within the country. Consequently, the number of technological affluent employees is expected to continue to decline going forward.


==Enablers:==
==Enablers:==
Increase in (perceptions of) career opportunities for techies; More flexible education programs: bachelor for technological students with business focus, masters for truly technological students; Increased acceptance of foreigners to technological degrees combined with easy access to visa and working permits after graduation
Technology/science is not being stimulated at primary and secondary school level, while languages and humanitory studies are.
 
Poor labour market for technology / inattractive job opportunities.
 
Lack of opportunities to make a technology career in companies (while business studies are favoured).
 
Poor pay for technology related jobs.
 
Competition by students from abroad (developing countries), who will return to their home country after graduating.
 
Limited amount of opportunities for a scientific career at universities.
 
Rigid or outdated university programs at universities leading to decline on quality.


===Inhibitors:===
===Inhibitors:===
Declining quality and quantity of technological universities; Limited career perspectives for technological students; Rigid university programs, with limited potential to select business or scientific program early on in degree; Restrictive student and work visa conditions;
Attractivess and attention for science and technology at young age (e.g. in media).
 
Better pay in technology related jobs.
 
More career opprtunities in technology (technology career vs managerial career).
 
More opportunities for a science career at universities.
 
Restriciton for foreign students.
 
Flexible education programs, linked to the needs of business and society.


===Paradigms:===
===Paradigms:===
Declining numbers of technological savy employees will hamper the ability of The Netherlands to be innovative and to improve productivity in an international context. This in turn will result in a declining competitive position of The Netherlands, specifically when ongoing globalisation will continue to result in fiercer competition from low-cost countries.
Furthermore, a declining availability of a technologically savy workforce may result in the fact that existing companies with strong R&D focus will consider moving their R&D activities outside The Netherlands to other countries with sufficient technological resources. This would further deteriorate the Dutch ability to be Innovative and Productive.


===Experts:===
===Experts:===
Universities
Ministry for Education
Ministry for Economic Affairs
Dutch Innovatieplatform


===Timing:===
===Timing:===
The existing downward trend is ongoing since early 1990's. Since the Lisboa Agenda in 2000 little progress has been made. No clear estimates appear available as to the anticipated number of technological savy students and employees; nor have detailed estimates been made as to the technies need by what date.
The Bologna treaty makes a comparison between universities possible, as well as a co-operation between universities.


===Web Resources:===
===Web Resources:===
[http://www.vsnu.nl/ Association of Dutch universities]
[http://www.minocw.nl/ Dutch ministry of education]
[http://www.minez.nl/ Dutch ministry of economic affairs]
[http://www.innovatieplatform.nl Innovatieplatform]

Latest revision as of 11:14, 21 September 2009

Description:

This page is being edited by Piotr Ptasinski, EMBA09


As it currently stands, the number of technological students in the Netherlands has been declining for many years in a row. In addition it appears, that after graduation, a large part of the technological professionals prefer to work abroad, or in general business roles rather than scientific or engineering roles within the country. Consequently, the number of technological affluent employees is expected to continue to decline going forward.

Enablers:

Technology/science is not being stimulated at primary and secondary school level, while languages and humanitory studies are.

Poor labour market for technology / inattractive job opportunities.

Lack of opportunities to make a technology career in companies (while business studies are favoured).

Poor pay for technology related jobs.

Competition by students from abroad (developing countries), who will return to their home country after graduating.

Limited amount of opportunities for a scientific career at universities.

Rigid or outdated university programs at universities leading to decline on quality.


Inhibitors:

Attractivess and attention for science and technology at young age (e.g. in media).

Better pay in technology related jobs.

More career opprtunities in technology (technology career vs managerial career).

More opportunities for a science career at universities.

Restriciton for foreign students.

Flexible education programs, linked to the needs of business and society.

Paradigms:

Declining numbers of technological savy employees will hamper the ability of The Netherlands to be innovative and to improve productivity in an international context. This in turn will result in a declining competitive position of The Netherlands, specifically when ongoing globalisation will continue to result in fiercer competition from low-cost countries.

Furthermore, a declining availability of a technologically savy workforce may result in the fact that existing companies with strong R&D focus will consider moving their R&D activities outside The Netherlands to other countries with sufficient technological resources. This would further deteriorate the Dutch ability to be Innovative and Productive.

Experts:

Universities

Ministry for Education

Ministry for Economic Affairs

Dutch Innovatieplatform

Timing:

The existing downward trend is ongoing since early 1990's. Since the Lisboa Agenda in 2000 little progress has been made. No clear estimates appear available as to the anticipated number of technological savy students and employees; nor have detailed estimates been made as to the technies need by what date.

The Bologna treaty makes a comparison between universities possible, as well as a co-operation between universities.

Web Resources:

Association of Dutch universities

Dutch ministry of education

Dutch ministry of economic affairs

Innovatieplatform