Generation Y: What? When? How?
13 February 2008
Is Generation Y the answer to progressing electronic design in this country? This Generation X-er thinks certainly not - unless we act fast !
Is youth wasted on the young? I began to think George Bernard Shaw had a point as I sat at a desk in my son's school for a Careers Fair evening. I had been asked to represent 'journalism' and to answer any questions the GCSE and A level students may have about the world of journalism and publishing in general. It was encouraging to see enthusiasm for their futures and the interest in how I spend my days was flattering. However, brushing aside the "Is it like The Devil Wears Prada?" question from a couple of students (the answer is "No!" by the way) I was amused and yet concerned at the naivety/audacity of Generation Y.
Generation Y is the phrase for children born between 1976 and 1990/1995. Their parents, Generation X's baby boomers, are high achievers and themselves are now called 'helicopter parents' because they hover over their young. This hovering can take the form of answering any question on Little Johnny's behalf to filling in forms for university applications/downloading essays from the internet - anything to avoid their offspring having to face the struggles they had to endure.
Generation Y has grown up with mobile phones, computers, the internet and computers. Generation Y Googles things instead of using encyclopedias. Generation Y expects wi-fi, broadband and connectivity wherever they find themselves around the world. Yet, while Generation Y may be tech-savvy, they are not known for being generally savvy.
At the Careers Fair, one queried the work experience idea. Surely, with a journalism degree he could start as editorial director, he asked. Er, no, sonny, you will have to get some writing under your belt at least. Then understand a magazine's various departments and their roles in order to learn what is achievable. Then, and only then, can you ask others to do tasks to certain standards and in certain timeframes.
Similarly, for electronics engineering to thrive in the UK, we need graduates who know how to work in a well-run engineering department. They must have a working knowledge of being involved in projects so they can set realistic targets when they are managers and develop the best skills in each member of a design team. However, to do that, you need electronic engineering graduates.
These are painfully thin on the ground and getting more so. Electrical and electronic engineering undergraduate numbers have dropped 45 per cent since 2002. Last year, the Engineering and Technology Board reports, just 9,810 graduated with an electrical and electronic engineering degree. Of those, nearly 40 per cent were foreign students, presumably who returned home to use their new-found skills. Compare the UK's figure of less than 10,000, with China's engineering graduates - over 350,000 in 2004; or India's 112,000 in the same year. Feeling outnumbered?
Quite frankly, the situation is not helped by recent government investments such as the £10million investment in "creative industries". Okay, the list of creative sectors does include broadcast, broadband and telecommunciations service providers but this single group is far outweighed by 'content industries', (i.e. computer games developers, video, film, TV, radio, music); architecture and interior design; culture, tourism and visitor attraction; advertising, design services and marketing. Good one, Gordon ! What this country needs is more 'meejah; studies students and Laurence Llwellyn Bowen wannabes stacking shelves at Tesco's before their 'big break'.
It is left to electronics companies, and initiatives like EPD's own e-Legacy Awards, to encourage an interest and active participation in electronics engineering in school children and existing employees. Without that, as Generation X look to retire, who will be in place to succeed them? If things don't change, it could be a recent graduate with an MBA who doesn't know a block diagram from block of wood who is asking engineering teams across the world to design the impossible - for half the cost.
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