Time to differentiate between "easy degrees" and the real stuff

Congratulations to the over 1,000 Westmeath students who collected their Leaving Certificate results on Wednesday morning last, firstly, on their achievement in successfully coming through that tortuous test; and secondly, on managing to celebrate receipt of their results without causing any bother locally.For those of us who have long left formal education behind us, it"s difficult almost to remember how much we were pre-occupied by the Leaving Cert. But if we try hard, we can remember.Sadly, the Leaving Certificate class of 2008 shares something with those of us who took the exam twenty or more years ago: uncertainty about whether there will be jobs for them at the end of the next stage of their lives, the training, or further study, that most will now engage in.It"s not that there are no jobs out there, but students are shunning the areas in which there are not just vacancies, but in fact, very real needs, such as science, technology, and engineering.Even the body Engineers Ireland has this week issued a call for youngsters to consider careers in engineering - which, Engineers Ireland point out - command an excellent starting salary across all sectors of industry.The problem is, too few students are prepared for the grind involved in the sciences and engineering - and our 'growing weakness' in this field is one of the factors that is going to militate against this country"s economic recovery.The students themselves are part of the development of a 'vicious circle'. Those who graduate in three years" with arts and business degrees will find their job options greatly reduced because they will be among so many similarly qualified - in a country where growth is faltering because too few have chosen the options of science, technology or engineering.But this is a problem that has been developing over the course of several years. For at least the last five years we have been hearing of the lack of interest at school level in the sciences and mathematics - but no real drive has been made to adequately turn that around.It"s not too late to stem the tide, but work to begin changing attitudes to these 'tougher' subjects, must begin at an earlier stage: it needs to begin right from the time youngsters enter second level.It may be that there needs to be a review of how the sciences and maths are taught; it may be that extra resources need to go into these fields; it may be that a science subject should be made compulsory for those sitting the Leaving Certificate; it may be that there should be bonus points awarded to those who do opt for these types of subjects.We have all become lazy in ways. We are working harder - but not at the same things we worked hard at before. And it"s the same of our students. They are working hard - but few want that extra challenge that a 'tough' subject brings - especially when there are so many competing attractions in teenage lives, and especially when there are so many 'easy' degree options out there. Media studies, health and fitness instruction courses, classics and ancient history degrees are all grand - in their own way - but there is no way any of these are on the level of a science or mathematics or engineering degree. And maybe it"s time that that distinction could be made, so students would know that three years of media studies won"t get them the same status as three years of phsyics.