Tech shortage could hamper 2nd Space Age

Valley Press on ^ | Sunday, December 3, 2006. | ALLISON GATLIN

[BenLurkin]

As the United States embarks on the "Second Space Age," its aerospace, science and other high-tech industries face a critical shortage of skilled engineers, scientists and technicians to do the work necessary for the country to maintain pre-eminence in space.

That message ran throughout Friday's discussions during the California Space Authority's Transforming Space Conference, a gathering of the state's various space enterprise interests.

"The Second Space Age is a new age of space exploration," said Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside, honorary co-chairman of the conference.

This new age is similar to the Cold War space race in one important way, he said: "It depends on American leadership."

One oft-cited - but qualified - statistic compares the number of engineers produced yearly in the United States with other rising high-tech nations.

This country graduates approximately 70,000 new engineers per year, based on a 2004 survey, compared to some 200,000 or more in India and as many as 600,000 in China.

While noting that a wide gap in producing new engineers exists, the speakers were careful to note that the figures from India and China may be somewhat skewed due to those nations' broader definitions of engineers.

"We need to wake up. We will not be the leaders of the world we have been since World War II," Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon said. The Santa Clarita Republican is outgoing chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

"We can't just rest on our laurels. There are always people who want to knock us off that pedestal."

The problem of developing a work force of engineers is a pipeline issue, beginning with too few students willing to study math and science, McKeon said. Only half the students who do pursue such subjects in college actually graduate with those degrees, he said.

[BenLurkin]

'Second Space Age' Ping

[Hydroshock]

For years they have been outsourcing engineer jobs and doing so very publicly, and then they are suprised that people do not go to school for it.

[SandRat]

Did my part to help. Sent my son to college to be and Aerospace Engineer and he's working in the industry right now building missiles and rockets on a Defense Contract.

[randog]

The problem of developing a work force of engineers is a pipeline issue, beginning with too few students willing to study math and science, McKeon said. Only half the students who do pursue such subjects in college actually graduate with those degrees, he said.

Yup, the "physics barrier" is a bitch, and one you can't PC your way through (e.g., no finals consisting of essays on your feelings about electron flow).

[Moonman62]

We obviously need to open universities and offer scholarships in Mexico.

[Nat Turner]

too many lawyers, liars and liberals coming out of our schools

[HangnJudge]

My wife and I are Ga. Tech grads. mine was in Nuc. Eng. '77
My nephew is now a PhD candidate in Aerospace at Ga. Tech
He's married to an even more brilliant Comp. Sci. PhD candidate. I fear for their children; skewed gene pool data

[SandRat]

Tell your nephew to check out Orbital Science on the net for internships and possible employment after college.

[CzarNicky]

don't worry we have plenty of lawyers for space.

[HangnJudge]

Will do

He seems interested in making helicopter blades quieter right now. He is a flaming liberal, odd that he's so engaged in military applications. His wife is more level headed

[Carry_Okie]

As the United States embarks on the "Second Space Age," its aerospace, science and other high-tech industries face a critical shortage of skilled engineers, scientists and technicians to do the work necessary for the country to maintain pre-eminence in space.

Duh. Who wants to study for years for a career that pays about as much as a nurse and might last only a decade?

[Wolfie]

Relax. I'm sure the Chinese will build us whatever we need.

[SandRat]

Wait until he graduates and finds out all the good Engineering Jobs are on Defense Contracts with high level security clearances. Then should he get in he'll learn just how much the media has lied to him but because of sources and methods he can't talk about.

Have a niece that grew up in a Michael Stivic (Meat-Head) liberal home. Married a young man working for the DEA and she got a job with the FBI and agent training at Quantico. Boy did her attitude change.

[A. Pole]

The problem of developing a work force of engineers is a pipeline issue, beginning with too few students willing to study math and science, McKeon said. Only half the students who do pursue such subjects in college actually graduate with those degrees, he said.

These students are smart. They do not want to invest their time and money in order to compete with Indians and Chinese for low wages without any job security and to be dumped after they get 40 years old.

[LadyNavyVet]

If they're native born and can get and maintain a high security clearance, they will be employed at a very good salary for life.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

too few students willing to study math and science

Show them the money and they will study.

In this age of mainline Republican's labor arbitrage and mainline Democrats' global village the individual American's willingness to run up tons of debt just to compete for India and China wages just ain't there. Sorry.

Besides, some of our best a brightest have donned uniforms and risk their butts protecting mainline Republicans and Democrats -- and all of us. Mainline Republicans and Democrats appreciate their efforts -- until they return to civilian life looking for a job paying enough for America's cost of living.

RE: "the speakers were careful to note that the figures from India and China may be somewhat skewed due to those nations' broader definitions of engineers."

Usually articles do not mention "broader definitions of engineers." There are connotations that I point out when in the past the article and / or replies go on about how "they're smart and we're not."

What connotations? Oh like, cheating and such things as the GRE being canceled in China and India because of it.

[GOP Poet]

Unfortunately the schools are busy pumping out PC brainwashed, socialist barking rats instead. We need to do a severe overhauling of our educational system from kindergarten to graduate programs in my opinion.

Unions and tenure are ruining any possible nurturing of thinking or skill based training. Many of our kids are learning more about how to accept abortion, gays, transsexuals, environmental terrorism, hate America, hate conservatives and all value based religions except (of course) Islam or they kids are just wanting to be lawyers (but isn't this the same thing?) :-).

[A. Pole]

If they're native born and can get and maintain a high security clearance, they will be employed at a very good salary for life.

Even with that you cannot be sure. If they outsource the most advanced and secret technologies, what stops them from changing the security requirements in a few years? Short term profit and Free Market Fundamentalism rules.

[RFT1]

The GOP last month found out how far they can push the outsourceing BS, and have paid a heavy political price for it, lets see if the GOP can come back to it senses in the next few years.