Reading Camilla Cavendish’s FT Weekend column (March 22) on the flight of wealthy non-doms reminded me of the sentiment within higher education and especially among Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) students. I am a chemical engineering masters student and in discussion with my peers across all engineering specialisations, I am yet to meet anyone who intends to remain in the UK after graduation. The reasons are similar to those causing the non-dom brain drain: a lack of growth, low graduate and early career salaries, and a belief that mid-late career salaries will be so heavily taxed as to result in little to no quality of life improvement.
Across the world, countries are creating speciality visas in order to attract engineers, yet here in the UK, a career in the field appears less attractive by the day in spite of the immense economic value engineers bring.
Alfred Bestford
Southampton, Hampshire, UK
