Not so Individual, we need both. Let me give you an extreme. How
would you design a 747, without engineers? Are you just going to
guess as you go along?

Just because where you work, there are some poor engineers, does
not mean that engineers are not required.

If the shire builds a bridge and the bridge collapses as it was
poorly designed, the engineer is responsible. If they let you
design the bridge and you made it up as you went along, clearly that
would not really be good enough.

Now mining engineers, electrical engineers etc are all responsible
for lots of lives. If the mine pit collapses or the underground
supports collapse, people die. All that we are doing is checking
that those who are doing the calculations, actually have some
qualifications.

Would you trust me to operate on your brain, if I told you that
I was a good brain surgeon and had learned it as I went along?

Yabby,
your last post is an irrelevant & irresponsible argument.
So far as 747's go I happen to know a little bit about them from my Pilot mates who fly them.
They are worked on by engineers with sense not Uni graduates with papers.
Same goes for Doctors & indeed all professions.
You can not instill a sense of responsibility by constantly excusing Australia's low standards in many professions. Why do you think the brain drain has come to a trickle & is gradually reversing to import ?
Let's not beat around the bush here, Australians need to wisen up & wisen up fast.

*They are worked on by engineers with sense not Uni graduates with papers.
Same goes for Doctors & indeed all professions*

Well yup, the kid who comes out of university is a bit like the kid
whose just passed the driving test. They still have a great deal
to learn about driving.

I'm sure that when Leightons hire another bunch of new graduates,
they don't let them make the big decisions. They will size them
up and get them to work on projects with experienced people, so that
they gain experience.

I'm not sure why you think that a novice should know everything.
They don't, but at least they understand the fundamentals and
the basic science and calculations, or they should never have
been given that piece of paper

I've run transformer manufacturing and electric motor manufacturing companies in Australia, Thailand and China, and a division of ABB in Hong Kong.
I have found Aussie engineering graduates to be extremely well prepared for private enterprise.
Of course they lack experience, but those I have led have all had a strong work ethic, a thorough knowledge of their discipline and a high degree of precision in their work.
I have recruited and managed electrical, mechanical and mecatronics engineers, and I must say that I have been extremely impressed in recent years with the mecatronics stream that combines mechanical and electrical engineering.
Honestly, I would rate Australian engineering graduates as second to none.
Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Business, particularly MBA grads, as in Australia, most unis use the Harvard Case Study method of teaching in these disciplines.
Generally these grads are excellent with spreadsheets, but have little understanding of leadership or even basic practical management theory.
I found that engineering grads tended to be come better managers more quickly because they got out of their offices and into the factory, and so more quickly figured out which way was up.
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

So let's look a that 50% mark up from retailers.

Firstly most retailers mark ups are higher than 50%.

You must remember, a 50% mark up, equates to a 33.3% gross profit.

Net is generally about 10%, wages, around 20%, running costs etc, 5%, advertising 5%, So far they are about 7% behind and they havnt made a dollar for themselves yet.

This is the problem facing retail a present, all the costs of doing business are simply to high which means prices are to high.

The end result will be far fewer retailers.

Sorry, a typo there, I said net about 10% this should have been rent about 10%.