I think the "Jobs Factory" metaphor is a sign of how messed up the thinking involved is. There isn't a jobs factory, there's a marketplace; and the marketplace

I think the "Jobs Factory" metaphor is a sign of how messed up the thinking involved is. There isn't a jobs factory, there's a marketplace; and the marketplace right now is very clearly saying that scientists just aren't that valuable, in the grand scheme of things. If you really think this is something that needs fixing, the most direct and blunt fix would just to be to create a government subsidy for scientists. For example, instead of making them pay income tax, you might give scientists 100% matching pay from the government. That would mean that a company might hire a scientist at $80,000, but for the scientist it would be the equivalent of a normal $220,000 job. Put that lay into effect, and I guarantee you'll see a lot more scientists 20 years down the line.