<p>Assuming a student was talented and did well in math in the sciences, would you recommend that they go into engineering, or something else like law or medicine?</p>
<p>The reason for cynicism is in part due to the lack of jobs and the decrease in manufacturing in the US and outsourcing.</p>
<p>What I would recommend to a high school graduate that engineering is a great undergraduate major, but for grad school perhaps a law degree or a medical degree may ultimately be more effective. I do worry about it's future in the US.</p>
<p>Another reason for the cynicism is the low social status and respect of engineers. I believe that there is one personality type attracted to engineering. The nerd with black rim glasses with tape on them and a slide rule or HP-48SX hanging off his belt truly reflect the personality of an engineer. $5000/yr is the going rate for engineers in India. Why pay me $50k a year, when 10 Indian engineers can be purchased for the same amount? The communications technology is there to allow for remote project management. It wouldn't be easy, but it could be done. There will always be a demand for engineers, sure. Will there always be a demand for my rather expensive engineering services? Probably not.</p>