Graduates’ hopes can be shattered when they see the real situation in the labor market: a solution at school, the consequence of 40 years

Why the students are increasingly attracted to the humanities and social studies was discussed in the “Delfi11” program, and the exact sciences attract only a small part, although there is a great lack of specialists in these fields.

They close the door by themselves

This year, due to quarantine, graduates were allowed to review their choices and waive the exams they no longer wanted to take. The students were able to do that in May. Physics, chemistry, German and French were among the “canceled” disciplines.

According to Gintaras Sarafinas, editor of “Reitingai” magazine, the number of people taking tests in these areas is constantly decreasing, and it is not just the global pandemic that is to blame.

“This has been going on for several years in a row, young people are constantly giving up what is difficult. They are also abandoning computer science, they are also abandoning mathematics, but since a state-funded place of study can only be obtained through entering higher education, after passing the maturity test of mathematics, they are forced to pass.When there was no coercion, little was maintained.

I will mention some numbers to impress. For example, 1,600 youth out of 24,000 took the chemistry test last year, which is about every fourteen. As for the physics exam, he took 3,000 last year, which means one in eight graduates. Only 3,000 took the computer science exam, although everyone here from morning until night talks about how promising it is. “They don’t take those tests because they are fundamental, deep and difficult sciences,” he said.

According to the interlocutor, the students do not close or close most of the doors without hugging or learning. Which one?

“It just came to our attention then. These young people can enter places related to the social sciences and humanities; they can enter all kinds of languages, all kinds of management, economics, all kinds of rights, communications, administrations. It’s simple there, you don’t really need all kinds of physicists and chemists.

But it closes the door on areas related to engineering, technology, manufacturing and life sciences, “said Sarafin.

Other countries do not follow this practice.

According to Gintautas Jakštas, Head of the Study Policy and Career Analysis Division of the Government’s Center for Strategic Analysis (STRATA), a decrease in the number of graduates in social sciences has been observed for some time, but recently the number has returned to grow.

“The choice of the social sciences had begun to decline. The decline began about four years ago, decreasing by a few percentage points, but increasing again in recent years. We are seeing the trend of being close to 50% again. will choose the social sciences “, – G. Jakštas spoke on the program.

However, he pointed out, we should not be talking about graduates currently choosing their majors, but rather much younger students and the whole situation in the general education system.

“Now we are talking about graduates about what they should choose, but they cannot do much more. Here, I think the problem is not that they do not know and make the wrong decisions, but our educational system. We have a general education that is not general starting in grade 11. (…) In many countries, there are no profiles like ours and they all have to complete the same general education, and the profile and division begin when you choose where to study after school.

Now, at a very young age, we divest ourselves of the responsibility of making decisions. It seems that the results of that responsibility will not be received, so young people really choose what is most convenient and then they can no longer study what is demanded. For example, the number of students who can take engineering programs was expanded, but there were no people studying physics, studying mathematics, ”said G. Jakštas.

The consequences will be felt for 40 years.

He was also attracted to G. Sarafin. According to the interlocutor, most students make wrong decisions as early as tenth grade and do not even realize that they will feel the consequences for almost their entire lives.

“When do they decide? They decide in grade 10 what they will study at an improved level in grades 11-12, what they will not study at all and what they will study at level B. Most of them are already so tired in tenth grade that they say: nice teacher Physics, there was an enthusiasm with you, but much weaker without you. All the best and for a long time. The chemistry and computer science teacher is told the same thing and they finally choose the easiest learning package. When class 12 arrives, you will no longer jump on another train, you will not start studying physics at level A in October. You just didn’t hit.

And you cannot enter many disciplines because you did not study even a basic level in physics, computers and chemistry. Then there is a huge distortion across the state: We only see that some professions have a cumulative surplus and others a shortage. And this has gone on for a decade and has not changed, “G. Sarafin said of the problems in the labor market.

In contrast to G. Jakštas, G. Sarafinas explained this choice of students who completed basic education as a lack of experience. Also, she noted, children this age don’t listen much to parents or teachers, they want to make their own decisions.

“They take a lot of responsibility and then when they see that UPSI am not here, it is already a consequence for the next 40 years. (…) I often tell parents and teachers that if you see that your child is lazy with talent, what you can do is say: darling, you are not physics, you are not chemistry and you are not computer science. You will study mathematics at an improved level. Then that child will thank his parents in grade 12, because many doors will be opened to him, “Sarafin advised.

He does not understand Lithuania’s position.

Due to such a situation, when the majority of Lithuanian students enter the social and humanitarian fields, G. Sarafinas is convinced that the country’s politicians must also take responsibility.

“Then I realized that the state itself was behaving quite strangely. She sees a shortage of agricultural specialists, energy specialists, production specialists, engineers, but she is not sending any knowledge to young people. For example, this year There has been a significant increase in state-funded places. In the past, about 50 percent received free studies and 50 percent paid. This year, 75% will receive free studies. Young people. This is fine. , but withholds funds for social science studies. Administration and law have grown more this year, as if we were lacking. Which is incomprehensible and especially at the university level.

Universities receive approximately 6,500 state-funded places, or 3,500 for the social sciences. What are we going to do with them altogether, where will we put them? And there is no increase in engineering, production, biomedical science, and the state does not increase the number of places funded in medicine. It’s weird, it doesn’t make sense, “Sarafin wondered.

However, the number of state-funded places in science studies increased in 2019, but the idea was abandoned when the experiment failed. According to G. Jakštas, it is like a vicious circle.

“It increased considerably, even several times. But the problem is that it has increased in a year, it is clear that those who have already passed the physics exam and could enter engineering have not grown so abruptly. It was a good sign that students would know for a longer period that there were openings every year, so if I studied physics, even if I didn’t do very well on passing exams, I could still join because there was always a shortage.

The decision was not considered very good, as there were many vacancies left, and this is not good in all state budget planning schemes. Those places have yet to fill up, because now the kids are paying for their studies somewhere, and there is an unspent budget left here, so perhaps those places should be reallocated and used for those who have already joined. On the other hand, there is also the attitude that those who have barely passed the state exams can enter engineering, they will get a free place. And those who are going to be in law have passed 90 percent. or 100% will pay for the studies, because there are no places and there is no need there, “said G. Jakštas.

Today, according to him, virtually everyone who wants to study engineering has enough state-funded places, but the lack of vacancies does not send future generations knowledge of the need in the labor market.

Tips for those who don’t like exact science

When asked what to do for those for whom physics, chemistry and other exact sciences are not really at the heart, Mr. Sarafin advised to learn languages ​​or choose interdisciplinary studies.

“If a person feels that they have been created for the humanities, it is a veil. So, darling, you are still studying a foreign language up to level C1 in the gym, a second foreign language up to level B2 and a third foreign language in college If a person speaks two foreign languages ​​at level C1, plus a native language, plus a third foreign language at the third level, then they will be perfectly aware, sure to find where to help.

In social science terms, such individuals are advised to undertake multiple or interdisciplinary studies when several different professions merge into one. For example, industrial engineering, design, and marketing. It is an interdisciplinary program and there are already three professions in one. And it will definitely be a great and professional appeal.

What else do I recommend, as far as I observe abroad, choosing undergraduate studies, not even what you really like in life, getting tired of the same physics, mathematics, agronomy, pedagogy and then choosing the social sciences in the master’s degree ” , said.