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The Times Higher Education rankings puts 3 UK universities in the top 10 worldwide for physical sciences and for engineering. Or do you just mean they aren't c

The Times Higher Education rankings puts 3 UK universities in the top 10 worldwide for physical sciences and for engineering. Or do you just mean they aren't considered attractive careers to students and children?

walshemj 9y ago
I meant socially those in the stem professions are looked down on.
- smcl 9y ago
  By whom? I have not experienced this at all. STEM jobs are by UK standards well paid and would be considered solid respectable to enter by everyone I can think of. Unless you're comparing the salaries in these to those of Bankers ... but that's a whole different kettle of fish, and there's the added complication that Bankers are actually actively disliked by an overwhelming majority of the population.
  - walshemj 9y ago
    No actually real science jobs are paid appallingly I know what say the STEM grades in the civil service are paid. And even developers are paid badly when compared to our peers in the states and with other professions in the UK. Compare what google pays in London to what it pays in say Kansas I could buy a house there (Kansas) out if my cash savings You do know that the train driver on my commute to London is paid £60k for a 4 day week and most of them after overtime are on >£75k with a DB pension! The UK has been known for decades as a place to get good engineers cheap.
    - smcl 9y ago
      That's not a UK thing though - all STEM salaries in the EU are lower than their counterparts in the USA. I don't think this points to an anti-STEM culture specific to the UK. But that is kind of beside the point - you said they're socially looked down upon. Maybe I derailed it by anticipating you were meaning salaries ... but it sounds like you believe there's some overall anti-STEM sentiment and I honestly cannot think of a time I saw anything like this. I haven't heard of the idea that the UK is a place to get good cheap engineers. I have heard of Southern Europe, Eastern Europe and India talked about this way but never the UK. Good maybe, but certainly not cheap.
      - walshemj 9y ago
        As a non brit you probably don't pick up on the unwritten social subtexts. Well that's why one of the top 5 civil engineers set up an office in London - when most of there work is in the middle east. Its not like in Europe where "Engineer" has a high social standing.
        smcl 9y ago
        I'm Scottish. Honestly the idea that engineers in the UK are some lower social caste is a complete fantasy.

walshemj 9y ago

I meant socially those in the stem professions are looked down on.

smcl 9y ago
By whom? I have not experienced this at all. STEM jobs are by UK standards well paid and would be considered solid respectable to enter by everyone I can think of. Unless you're comparing the salaries in these to those of Bankers ... but that's a whole different kettle of fish, and there's the added complication that Bankers are actually actively disliked by an overwhelming majority of the population.
- walshemj 9y ago
  No actually real science jobs are paid appallingly I know what say the STEM grades in the civil service are paid. And even developers are paid badly when compared to our peers in the states and with other professions in the UK. Compare what google pays in London to what it pays in say Kansas I could buy a house there (Kansas) out if my cash savings You do know that the train driver on my commute to London is paid £60k for a 4 day week and most of them after overtime are on >£75k with a DB pension! The UK has been known for decades as a place to get good engineers cheap.
  - smcl 9y ago
    That's not a UK thing though - all STEM salaries in the EU are lower than their counterparts in the USA. I don't think this points to an anti-STEM culture specific to the UK. But that is kind of beside the point - you said they're socially looked down upon. Maybe I derailed it by anticipating you were meaning salaries ... but it sounds like you believe there's some overall anti-STEM sentiment and I honestly cannot think of a time I saw anything like this. I haven't heard of the idea that the UK is a place to get good cheap engineers. I have heard of Southern Europe, Eastern Europe and India talked about this way but never the UK. Good maybe, but certainly not cheap.
    - walshemj 9y ago
      As a non brit you probably don't pick up on the unwritten social subtexts. Well that's why one of the top 5 civil engineers set up an office in London - when most of there work is in the middle east. Its not like in Europe where "Engineer" has a high social standing.
      - smcl 9y ago
        I'm Scottish. Honestly the idea that engineers in the UK are some lower social caste is a complete fantasy.