Graduate With Physics Phd, 31, Fell To His Death From Block Of Flats After Taking Job In Call Centre He Was Over-Qualified For

[scrappycocco]

Theres obviously more to it than this but msm will sell it according to their agenda.

What about the huge rudy great big state that is driving up the cost of living to a point where investment in private enterprise is dwindling? I blame unions, politicians, bankers, bureaucrats and anyone that takes more than their fair share from the top for lack of decent jobs. Seems like everyone is trying to screw the system.

[SpewLabour]

Can't believe a Physics PHD/engineer couldn't get work.

'Twas ever thus.

"Well, with a degree in mathematics, and a Ph.D. in astrophysics, it was either that or back to the dole queue on Monday." - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

[SHERWICK]

'Twas ever thus.

"Well, with a degree in mathematics, and a Ph.D. in astrophysics, it was either that or back to the dole queue on Monday." - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

I thought people like this were in high demand in Australia, USA, Canada etc.?

[corevalue]

The headline is disgusting. "Fell" to his death. No he didn't fall, he jumped. Out of desperation, a hopeless future thanks to no jobs, student debts, and the impossibility of getting a house and living a normal, productive life.

[pig]

Theres obviously more to it than this but msm will sell it according to their agenda.

What about the huge rudy great big state housing benefit bill due to uncontrolled house price inflation that is driving up the cost of living to a point where investment in private enterprise is dwindling? I blame unions, politicians, bankers, bureaucrats and anyone that takes more than their fair share from the top for lack of decent jobs. Seems like everyone is trying to screw the system.

[SpewLabour]

I thought people like this were in high demand in Australia, USA, Canada etc.?

You mean in countries that actually value science and engineering?

[nmarks]

It is as if this poor unfortunate soul was trying to demonstrate to the world, in the most tragically ironic manner, that the time and effort he had expended in developing his expertise in physics had been for nothing. I am sure all HPCers will join in sending their most sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Doubtless had our economy been better managed and the interests of certain grubby sections of it been kept in check, this young man would alive and well today. Instead we have lost one of our most brilliant and gifted individuals forever.

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

[btl_hater]

This will not be an isolated incident going forward imo. People under 30 who work their nuts off, obviously intelligent, they assume that all this effort will be worth at least an average existence where they can at least find work that befits their expertise (i don't care what anyone says, if you have a PhD in physics then you shouldn't be working in a call centre) and own their own home. But no, this generation has been shat on by the over 40s who would rather the government pump money into propping up property prices and the banks. It is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve increase in standard of living through hard work, determination and skill because so many things are stacked against you. This guy probably came across one thick as shit boomer who sits happily in his "300 grand" house too many and it was enough to tip him over the edge.

[the_duke_of_hazzard]

This is tragic, but we all know people who've triumphed over this kind of thing. To an extent I'm one of them.

I know a guy who was an uneducated security guard from a farm in Ireland with and abusive past and 2 kids. At 35 he knuckled down and got a first in Computer Science and got a job, kept his head down, and despite his limitations has looked after his family well.

This guy was depressed. It's horrible and it's sad, but he's not the first to be in this position, and he won't be the last.

If there's a problem it's the unrealistic expectations engendered by the Education, Education, Education mantra of the boomer generation.

[AvoidDebt]

When someone did this in Tunisia it kicked off a regional revolution that is still reverberating around the globe. Just don't expect the same response here: ohh isn't that awful followed by a swift flick over to the latest celebrity gossip will be the standard response here.

[SHERWICK]

You mean in countries that actually value science and engineering?

Yes, so why did he jump to his death?

When I needed a good job back in 1997 and there were none in the UK, I moved to the USA.

[SHERWICK]

When someone did this in Tunisia it kicked off a regional revolution that is still reverberating around the globe. Just don't expect the same response here: ohh isn't that awful followed by a swift flick over to the latest celebrity gossip will be the standard response here.

I don't understand why he didn't simply move to somewhere where his skills are valued?

Unless of course there's something else not being reported here, and the meme that 'great educated people can't find good jobs so they kill themselves' is what the media wants to portray.

Edit: and note that this guy could EASILY have moved to anywhere in the world to get a good job, unlike the guy in Tunisia.

[porca misèria]

Could his role model have been the guy in Tunisia who burned himself to death? Jumping from a high building would seem to be a less painful way to go.

But 'twas indeed ever thus. One of my closest friends as an undergraduate at Cambridge got a First in 1983, went on to do a PhD, and now drives a taxi for his living. More people being educated means more people in that kind of situation.

[nmarks]

When someone did this in Tunisia it kicked off a regional revolution that is still reverberating around the globe. Just don't expect the same response here: ohh isn't that awful followed by a swift flick over to the latest celebrity gossip will be the standard response here.

That's because:

• Too many Brits played their own part in creating the mess our economy is now in.

• Too many Brits either do not understand or do not care to understand what has happened.

• Those Brits that fall into neither of the above are too few in number.

:angry:

[Frank Hovis]

Many people get the culture shock of finding that all the effort of getting top grades at school and university does not mean you have an automatic entitlement to earning loads of money in a cushy number. What it does is get you through the door but you still have to work hard and develop lots of other work skills. I had this culture shock as did my friends. You all sit around at college thinking you're the elite but then you end up in an unrewarding job in a cheap suit with the dawning realisation that all that matters to your employer is how well you do this job, not how many academic prizes you won or how architecturally-pleasing your college was.

Having a whacking great student debt would have made it worse and the question "What did I do all this work and incur all this debt for?" would be frequently uppermost in your mind.

Spending another four years with the hard slog of a PhD (I didn't do one but did a research masters) would make it worse again as it makes you if anything less employable outside your specialist field, so all that work counts for literally less than nothing when it comes to getting unrelated employment.

Pisser but there it is.

[SHERWICK]

Could his role model have been the guy in Tunisia who burned himself to death? Jumping from a high building would seem to be a less painful way to go.

But 'twas indeed ever thus. One of my closest friends as an undergraduate at Cambridge got a First in 1983, went on to do a PhD, and now drives a taxi for his living. More people being educated means more people in that kind of situation.

Aren't your friends skills in demand anywhere in the whole wide world?

[SHERWICK]

Many people get the culture shock of finding that all the effort of getting top grades at school and university does not mean you have an automatic entitlement to earning loads of money in a cushy number. What it does is get you through the door but you still have to work hard and develop lots of other work skills. I had this culture shock as did my friends. You all sit around at college thinking you're the elite but then you end up in an unrewarding job in a cheap suit with the dawning realisation that all that matters to your employer is how well you do this job, not how many academic prizes you won or how architecturally-pleasing your college was.

Very, very, very true.

Needs to be drummed into all students' heads.

[billybong]

It's only a couple of weeks ago that the newspapers were spouting off about severe shortages of qualified engineers in the UK - again.

[doomed]

I used to work in a science/engineering role in the chemical industry in the north west. That factory is now shut; In the end the firm was buying one of the products from china and repackaging it as their own cheaper than what they could make it onsite themselves.

The Uk government need to start either directly investing or seriously encouraging investment in productive industry if there is any hope to get out of this mess. I fear it may be too late.

[StainlessSteelCat]

This is tragic, but we all know people who've triumphed over this kind of thing. To an extent I'm one of them.

I know a guy who was an uneducated security guard from a farm in Ireland with and abusive past and 2 kids. At 35 he knuckled down and got a first in Computer Science and got a job, kept his head down, and despite his limitations has looked after his family well.

This guy was depressed. It's horrible and it's sad, but he's not the first to be in this position, and he won't be the last.

If there's a problem it's the unrealistic expectations engendered by the Education, Education, Education mantra of the boomer generation.

This. A talented friend of mine from university killed himself close on a decade ago. Somehow he just couldn't thrive beyond university. I knew plenty others who took several years to find a job - never mind one which was commensurate with their education.

There's no obvious or easy path from graduating with a good degree to getting a good job - and undergraduates need their expectations set because this is a real gap. You go from a safe and structured environment where you are a big fish in a small pond to zero support network and no structure in a matter of weeks when graduating. Just as true for those choosing to finish education earlier too. For postgrads - it can be even more of a shock as you've left it longer to make the transition.

But you only tend to hear about those who turn out to be successes (and often because they got a leg up in some way from connections or were extremely persistent) because it makes a good story. Finally, there often aren't enough jobs out there for many degree topics - and the likelihood is that you won't end up working in the area.

[Butthead]

Get excellent GSCE grades

Get excellent A Level grades

Get excellent degree

Get excellent post-grad qualifications

???

Profit

[deflation]

It's only a couple of weeks ago that the newspapers were spouting off about severe shortages of qualified engineers in the UK - again.

There are shortages, but IMHO, most companies want the moon on a stick. Instead of taking on someone clearly clever enough and capable of applying their skills to fit what is needed, maybe with a bit of training, they want a specific, perfect fit. Frequently, this is from abroad.

[iamnumerate]

One point there are far too many people studying science. I have a Phd in Chemistry - I escaped to go into IT.

However before I escaped I met people at interviews who had finished their Phd and been unemployed for 2 years.

And we did Phds in useful chemistry topics that were better for jobs.

BTW this was in the 1990s!

[iamnumerate]

Spending another four years with the hard slog of a PhD (I didn't do one but did a research masters) would make it worse again as it makes you if anything less employable outside your specialist field, so all that work counts for literally less than nothing when it comes to getting unrelated employment.

Pisser but there it is.

I met an interview who thought that I was really clever because I had a Chemistry Phd and got a job in IT so it can help.

[Olebrum]

It's only a couple of weeks ago that the newspapers were spouting off about severe shortages of qualified engineers in the UK - again.

It's just cr4p though isn't it. There are not the jobs. Just more propaganda in order to allow 'skilled' immigrants

into the UK thus driving down wages and further reducing job opportunities.