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Virtual Workers and the Global Labour Market pp 37–56Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Engineering Lifestyles: Career Choices in Late Modernity

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Part of the book series: Dynamics of Virtual Work ((DVW))

Abstract

In many industrialised economies, young people are staying away from traditional technical education and careers in their droves. They appear to engage more readily with creative work, with its image of autonomy, personal responsibility, and self-expression. Using secondary data from youth and educational research, plus primary data from Spanish case studies of technical education, Müller explores the drivers of this disengagement from engineering and engagement with creative work. Media consumption, obstacles to labour market entry, and growing individualism drive young people into constant self-presentation and self-management in their work, political, and consumption roles. Europe’s future engineers may be lost to creative occupations, with much less secure employment prospects.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Internet Interdisciplinary Institute, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Catalunya, Spain

    Jörg Müller

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  1. Jörg Müller
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. London School of Economics, London, United Kingdom

    Juliet Webster

  2. Hertfordshire Business School, University of Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, United Kingdom

    Keith Randle

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Müller, J. (2016). Engineering Lifestyles: Career Choices in Late Modernity. In: Webster, J., Randle, K. (eds) Virtual Workers and the Global Labour Market. Dynamics of Virtual Work. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47919-8_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-47919-8_2

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-47918-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-47919-8

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