Comments on: Knowledge Economy my Arse http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75 Blog Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:22:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75&cpage=1#comment-1214 Anonymous Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:14:27 +0000 http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75#comment-1214 All this puts on the guard. All this puts on the guard.

]]> By: Michael Barry http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75&cpage=1#comment-147 Michael Barry Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:07:46 +0000 http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75#comment-147 I think you will find that most lecturers hired before the early 00's have permanent contracts and they make up the bulk of the teaching staff in the Universities. If only because since then the system hasn't been quite stable or predictable enough in how it allocates full time contracts. So cutting 3% of the payroll will mostly screw over those dashing young PhD Students, Postdoc Researchers and Contract Junior (usually) Lecturers who are already struggling with the vagaries and shifting goals of a confused, contrary and downright malicious Tenure path. Maybe the Govts latest 4th level education initiative is to release unprepared, qualified PhDs on an unsuspecting workforce and public. A bit like Care in the Community, I suppose... I think you will find that most lecturers hired before the early 00’s have permanent contracts and they make up the bulk of the teaching staff in the Universities. If only because since then the system hasn’t been quite stable or predictable enough in how it allocates full time contracts.

So cutting 3% of the payroll will mostly screw over those dashing young PhD Students, Postdoc Researchers and Contract Junior (usually) Lecturers who are already struggling with the vagaries and shifting goals of a confused, contrary and downright malicious Tenure path.

Maybe the Govts latest 4th level education initiative is to release unprepared, qualified PhDs on an unsuspecting workforce and public. A bit like Care in the Community, I suppose…

]]> By: Braz http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75&cpage=1#comment-146 Braz Sat, 13 Sep 2008 18:33:26 +0000 http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75#comment-146 I'd reckon that you're not off the mark Jamie, but tis an awful thing to say there is more security jobwise in a startup or as a contractor. It might be okay for software people but hardware heads are going to feel a much tighter pinch not to mind the physical / chemical sciences who don't tend to have as many options in that way of employment. I’d reckon that you’re not off the mark Jamie, but tis an awful thing to say there is more security jobwise in a startup or as a contractor. It might be okay for software people but hardware heads are going to feel a much tighter pinch not to mind the physical / chemical sciences who don’t tend to have as many options in that way of employment.

]]> By: Jamie Lawrence http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75&cpage=1#comment-145 Jamie Lawrence Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:48:55 +0000 http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75#comment-145 A lot of lecturers are 2-3 year contract employees and I'd be guessing that those might not be renewed -- or, alternatively, more contract positions will be offered that were once permanent so that they can get rid of them later. Personally, the whole university employment thing didn't work for me. There's more stability doing contract programming or working for a risky startup. A lot of lecturers are 2-3 year contract employees and I’d be guessing that those might not be renewed — or, alternatively, more contract positions will be offered that were once permanent so that they can get rid of them later. Personally, the whole university employment thing didn’t work for me. There’s more stability doing contract programming or working for a risky startup.

]]> By: Braz http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75&cpage=1#comment-144 Braz Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:06:16 +0000 http://www.johnbrowne.ie/?p=75#comment-144 Nice post John, it got me <a href="http://braz.blogspot.com/2008/09/lights-out-for-fourth-level-research.html" rel="nofollow">thinking</a> about the same subject and I really hope this is one whopper of a conspiracy theory or else as you said ``<i>Knowledge Economy my Arse</i>''. Nice post John, it got me thinking about the same subject and I really hope this is one whopper of a conspiracy theory or else as you said “Knowledge Economy my Arse”.

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