As I begin my pursuit of an academic career, everyday I find myself more surprised by how few recent graduates do the same.
The advantages, to me at least, seem obvious: Compared to the "corporate world," the academe is a much more hospitable and meritocratic workplace, despite the occasional and unavoidable politics--which, to begin with, is already muted relative to other work environments. Opportunities for personal growth abound, thanks to more convenient access to training programs, graduate schools, and a constant exposure to youth and ideas. For those who hate routine and are motivated and intellectually curious (who usually would be the student leadership and academic awardees in every batch), few careers can rival the social value and fulfillment of one in teaching and research. (There are, of course, monetary considerations, but my hunch is that a beginning lecturer/instructor's pay shouldn't diverge much from most entry-level, private sector salaries, especially on a per-hour basis.)
A few thoughts of mine from a year ago, in a published op-ed piece:
"Surprisingly, there isn’t a lack of avenues for scientific work in the Philippines. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Asia’s oldest and most respected agricultural research center, is based in this country. There are publicly funded science high schools teaching advanced math and science across the Philippines. Scholarships for science degrees abound. There’s even a local biotech consulting firm!"
"That opportunities to engage in science persist despite generally unfavorable economic circumstances clearly point to our science problem’s deeper, multifaceted roots."
"The lack of the necessary human capital to undertake serious research is compounded by two problems: our students’ generally poor performance in basic science and math, and the “practical” orientation of existing science and engineering programs. Our deficiencies in basic education are well-known and documented, but the other problem is something hardly acknowledged in the academe. I’m referring here to a career mindset most families and science schools cultivate in their graduates: that majoring in science is equivalent to either becoming a doctor, taking a board exam, or ending up as a teacher (which, from most Filipinos’ viewpoint, is tantamount to low pay and status throughout one’s life). With graduate school relegated to last place in the college graduate’s mind, is it anymore surprising why we aren’t making real, substantial gains in developing science-driven industries?"
The last factor--social acceptance--is probably the most powerful, and I surmise it is the primary reason why most high-achieving students prefer to stay away (initially, but to most, perhaps permanently) from the academe. The pressure to land prestigious (and not necessarily well-paid) work --usually as a management trainee or as an obscure analyst in a multinational company--tends to displace most other motivations, even the thought of other possible occupations. Even amid the worst economic conditions worldwide since the Great Depression, the office remains, sadly, a powerful default; the corporation, for its part, persists as an influential employer of talent. This is made worse by the poor condition of the local job market, which does offer sparse attractive alternatives to the corporate way. (And by state policy that advocates exporting labor and promoting low value-added industries.)
What will it take for more skilled Filipinos to reconsider their professional careers, as many in the American financial sector have done recently? Already, I think we can feel the effects of shortages in key professions (meteorologists and teachers, most prominently); my worst fear is that the social costs of being severely undermanned in work areas that create or apply new knowledge will very, very soon emerge to haunt the Philippines--hurricane Katrina-style. (Or bagyong Milenyo-like, as Filipinos would put it.)
No comments:
Post a Comment