Topics
DeepSummary
This episode features a conversation with sociologist John Skrentny about his book 'Wasted Education' which examines the challenges and mistreatment faced by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graduates in the workforce. Skrentny discusses how despite the emphasis on producing more STEM graduates to drive innovation and growth, many end up being undervalued, overworked, and laid off by employers who prioritize short-term profits over investing in their workforce.
The discussion explores issues such as the high turnover rates in tech companies, the practice of 'burn and churn' where companies work employees excessively and then replace them with fresh graduates, and the misalignment between what employers claim to need and how they treat their STEM employees. Skrentny argues that the current version of capitalism incentivizes disposability of workers and prioritizes short-term gains over long-term investment in human capital.
Potential solutions are discussed, including creating better incentives for innovation in crucial areas like clean energy, regulating harmful business practices, and promoting a model of lifelong learning where individuals can periodically return to educational institutions to update their skills. The conversation highlights the need for a more sustainable and ethical approach to valuing and retaining STEM talent.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- STEM graduates are often mistreated and undervalued by employers, particularly in the tech industry, which prioritizes short-term profits over investing in their workforce.
- Many tech companies practice a 'burn and churn' approach, overworking employees and then replacing them with fresh graduates when their skills become outdated.
- The current version of capitalism incentivizes the disposability of workers and prioritizes short-term gains over long-term investment in human capital.
- Creating better incentives for innovation in crucial areas like clean energy, regulating harmful business practices, and promoting a model of lifelong learning could help create a more sustainable and ethical approach to valuing STEM talent.
- The emphasis on producing more STEM graduates may be misguided if the underlying economic and cultural systems do not properly value and retain them.
- A broader, more integrated approach to education that combines STEM skills with non-STEM skills like communication and critical thinking could better prepare individuals for the changing job market.
- Questioning the priorities of our current economic system, which often neglects crucial areas like combating climate change in favor of more profitable but less essential ventures, is necessary for creating a more sustainable future.
- Promoting corporate social responsibility and holding investors accountable for the ethical implications of their investments could help steer the economy towards more socially beneficial outcomes.
Top Episodes Quotes
“The reality is upon us, you are going to have to do something different. There was a great study that was done. Social scientists love a natural experiment where something happens and something happens that's rare, and you could examine how human beings respond to it.“ by John Skrentny
― This quote highlights the inevitability of STEM workers having to constantly update their skills and adapt to changing technologies, using the example of a 'natural experiment' where Adobe Flash was discontinued, forcing developers to learn new skills.“If we're all made extinct by climate change or something like that, and if an alien civilization comes down and they look at us and they think, well, what were you guys investing in when the planet was falling apart and there were pandemics and the signs were all around you that you were in big trouble? And if we say cryptocurrency, blockchain, AI, surveillance, economy, it's going to look a little silly.“ by John Skrentny
― This thought-provoking quote questions the priorities of our current system, which invests heavily in areas like cryptocurrency and surveillance technology while neglecting crucial areas like combating climate change and developing sustainable technologies.“I think it fits more with my undiagnosed add that it's easier for me to get back into it. If someone knocks on the door, know there's a lot of different footholds I can grab onto, rather than that really narrow one.“ by John Skrentny
― This quote provides insight into Skrentny's approach as a sociologist, embracing a broad and integrated understanding of various fields rather than narrow specialization, which aligns with the multifaceted nature of the issues he explores.
Chapter Details
Entities
Company
Book
Person
Product
Episode Information
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Sean Carroll | Wondery
2/5/24
Universities and their students are constantly being encouraged to produce more graduates majoring in STEM fields -- science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. That's the kind of training that will get you a rewarding job, students are told, while at the policy level it is emphasized how STEM workers are needed to drive innovation and growth. In his new book Wasted Education, sociologist John Skrentny points out that the post-graduation trajectories of STEM graduates are more likely to involve being chewed up and spit out by the tech economy than to end up with stable long-term careers. We talk about why that's the case and what might be done about it.
Blog post with transcript: https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2024/02/05/265-john-skrentny-on-how-the-economy-mistreats-stem-workers/
Support Mindscape on Patreon.
John Skrentny received his Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University. He is currently Professor of Sociology at UC San Diego, and has previously served as the Co-Director of the Center for Comparative Immigration Studies and Director of the Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Stay Connected
Discover More, Learn Faster — Deep Digest
Supercharge your learning with Deep Digest, your personalized podcast summaries. Each morning, wake up to bite-sized insights from your favorite shows, curated just for you, right in your inbox. Plus, discover unexpected gems with our sprinkle of related topics. Stay ahead effortlessly.
