Is the STEM Crisis a Myth?

Last month's article "The STEM Crisis Is a Myth," by IEEE Spectrum contributing editor Robert N. Charette, triggered a hearty response from readers. Many commenters shared his view—that there is no shortage of scientists and engineers—and quite a few were against it. It seemed clear that a discussion of the issue should continue.

[carter]

This is about a shortage of CHEAP engineers.  They want engineers they can pay $15/hour and work 12 hours a day.  They want to import third world labour as outsourcing engineering is difficult.

I have a Mechanical Engineering degree, switched to a different line of work after I graduated because the wages were very low.  If you are happy making not much more than a garbage man, go work as an engineer.  I regularly see P.Eng's working for less than $25/hour.  For 4 years of expensive university, 5 years of internship, that is 9 years total.  Doctors are only 8!

Engineering is one of the worst industries as far as work input vs salary.  Way easier ways to make money.

[Michael-itgb]

I'm from Sweden. Wish I saw this video when I was studying for my degree. I got my exam in 2015. Only Half my class got a job right after, and big chunk of them because they had contacts in the industry. I eventually got a job for a few months, but the company wanted me to be a half-slave and continue study more frameworks and programming on my spare time, work overtime with no pay. That was the last job I had for that fraudulent company. This industry invented this shortage myth for engineers and developers they cannot afford. And now hundreds of thousands around the world have wasted money and time on a useless education that is worth just as much as a polka dance or 18th century poetry degree. Companies will continue to lie, because it is legal for them to lie. Politicians and media don't give a dang and will pushing the shortage propaganda.

[Micaheichelberg]

With the current resource distribution trend, the amount of available resources, and the amount of people competing for resources, can we really expect to meet the demand for resources? If we look at worldwide GDP per employee, would we find the trend up or down? That seems to be the data we need to determine the sustainability of the current economic state. Couldn't you also blame the patent system for stifling ingenuity? Licensing proprietary technology for 20 years is enough, why make more?

[rRobertSmith]

at time 21:04 H1B visa's wage increases no bonuses....etc....therefore no shortage

[SweetSweetWaldo]

It's not enough that STEM succeeds. The humanities must also die. Why? Because we can't have people around asking the boss why.

[holycow]

i wish i watched this before graduating with an engineering degree. XD

[rRobertSmith]

we need more (insert trade here), cries industry, translation we need more CHEAP inexpensive (at the old price) insert trade here....the same goes for degreed scientists I guess....gates imports his software people from Indian (red dot) tech colleges....when you cut the salaries of people there is LESS of them in the pipeline cause you have destroyed their way of life (aka the money they used to get)