TeeAyBee Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Looks like the KKK retards are having a day out Oh? Invited you to their picnic did they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMouth Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Looks like the KKK retards are having a day out Oh? Invited you to their picnic did they? No. I am one of the ones that they would burn or drag behind their redneck pickups. I always ask the same question. How many Shetland born and bred doctors are here? Where would we be if the incomers all left? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeAyBee Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 Looks like the KKK retards are having a day out Oh? Invited you to their picnic did they? No. I am one of the ones that they would burn or drag behind their redneck pickups. Probably in the shackles next to me. I always ask the same question. How many Shetland born and bred doctors are here? Where would we be if the incomers all left? I think you made my point quite well. If you can't find a local with the required skill set then you must recruit from elsewhere. Where would the catering sector be without the Poles for instance? How about dentistry here? Too many areas to mention, however, I must ask the question, why do few born and bred Shetlanders want to do those jobs and if they do, where do they go and why? I guess that was a few questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyjesus Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 With Shetlands ever dwindling population we should be welcoming incomers with open arms, they bring with them the chance to broaden not only our collective genetic perspectives but our cultural ones also. Indeed one day our ancestors may look back and thank us for still having opposable thumbs and relatively low levels of rampant alcoholism and associated suicide. On the few occasions when I go to what passes for a pub and look around at all the sweaty simian browed freaks grunting at each other i think some new blood is exactly whats required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 ...for still having ... relatively low levels of rampant alcoholism and associated suicide.Eh? I was of the impression that both were relatively high here. Am I mistaken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 ...for still having ... relatively low levels of rampant alcoholism and associated suicide.Eh? I was of the impression that both were relatively high here. Am I mistaken?they are simular problem with other nordic countries. the suicide rate is difficult to calculate in a small population but it is a major problem. lot to do with the long nights and the problems relating to social issolation. and there is issues with drink and drugs. depression rates are quite high up here to. in fact its also a scottish issue the death rate is rising for self harming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted August 31, 2008 Report Share Posted August 31, 2008 A valid point, which has not been made here yet, is that as many Shetlander's go away to College or Uni and don't come back. I was looking at some old school photo's the other night and I reckon about 50% of those who went away for FE remain away. Certainly, from among my close friends from school that's the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassermaet Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 ^^^I get the impression that leaving the island to go to uni / college tends to be the done thing for a lot of young Shetlanders these days, what with cheaper travel and no tuition fees needing paid. I left school right on the back of turning 18 - by the time I finished at Brae there were 17 of us in the year, and I think about 13 or 14 of us went on to uni or college down south either that year or a year later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 hopefully the uhi can offer more courses. the open uni could be used to help people stay. we have had the first lot of nurses trained and staying on the islands by them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 Yay Open Uni! ~waves little flag in support~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 A valid point, which has not been made here yet, is that as many Shetlander's go away to College or Uni and don't come back. I was looking at some old school photo's the other night and I reckon about 50% of those who went away for FE remain away. Certainly, from among my close friends from school that's the case.Another related point is that nowadays a far higher proportion of school leavers in the UK go on to university/higher education than 20 or 30 years ago. I remember being told in our welcome lectures 30 years ago that we were in the top 10% of the population. I'm not sure what the percentage is now in the UK but didn't Tony Blair say at one stage he wanted it to be 50% of the population? Relate that, and sassermaet's experience in her year, to Shetland, and we could be facing a bit of a 'brain drain' and a 'young adult drain' if a large proportion of those uni-goers don't return to Shetland post-graduation. Some might choose to return in later years to raise a family, but many probably don't return. The reasons have already been mentioned - not the level of jobs here, quality of life could be lacking for young professionals here, and just enjoying the varied opportunities elsewhere - none of which you can blame young people for choosing. It's been mentioned in the media recently in relation to Shetland's population dropping, how there are also people moving into Shetland, but probably not enough to balance the exodus, and there could be an imbalance of type of people leaving - young adults - with those coming in - possibly older people. This is just talking roughly - it would be interesting to see the statistics on incomers and leavers. We're now in the situation for the new term in Northmavine where all 3 primary schools are down to one teacher schools. This is the first time in the 27 years that I've been here that that has happened. When I came to teach here I had around 18 or 19 children in P1-3, although this was still the construction phase of SVT, albeit towards the end. Now our local school has 15 P1-7. It would be interesting to see how this compares with other country areas. I'm very much hoping that this is just a natural dip and that numbers will increase again. I don't think 3 one teacher primary schools in the parish is viable or desirable long-term so unless projected figures are better, then we could be targets for the repeated, painful and seemingly fruitless debates on school closures. Going back to the numbers leaving for university and college education, I'm not sure what the answer is to that one. Education is a good thing. Of course we can try to increase provision locally which is sensible for some subjects but can never match the provision and all-round university experience gained south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brink Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 ^^ Absolutely, Fifi. There is clearly a need for more further/higher education here...apparently more people per capita in Shetland use the OU then anywhere else in the UK. But when I asked the OU which tutorials were held here in the last few years they said none .. it's just not practicable, as the range of courses studied are so broad. I think the OU is a wonderful institution, with a lot of online help being available to students, but the lack of face to face tutorials could hamper those studying maths or sciences.Yes, there is Shetland College, but again, with such a small population here the courses are limited. Damn shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 But when I asked the OU which tutorials were held here in the last few years they said none .. it's just not practicable, as the range of courses studied are so broad. That is not true because, as an OU student, I have attended several tutorials at Train Shetland. My tutor was a lovely chap, a retired Doctor from Orkney who visited on a monthly basis throughout the course. Admitedly that was just for one course though. Also, for each course you get allocated a tutor with whom you can speak to over the telephone, your very own personal teacher Also, the education department in Lerwick help pay for transport costs to and from institutions on the mainland so you can attend tutorials and residential schools there. I've only attended one residential school so far (many more to come!), at Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh, and the transport costs were paid for entirely by the local education authority. Plus, if you get the working family tax credit you get the course fees paid for too Khitajrah - halfway through to a BSc (hons) Life Sciences degree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 khitajrah keep going its worth the effort. the ou do seem to be aiming there courses to fit with work needs. and as you said it can be free. the wife is not having to pay to do her Bsc in nursing. if she had to pay we could not afford it. the employers dont seem as keen as they should to help with learning. the trust pays for some courses but only to a very limited number of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted September 1, 2008 Report Share Posted September 1, 2008 khitajrah keep going its worth the effort. the ou do seem to be aiming there courses to fit with work needs. and as you said it can be free. the wife is not having to pay to do her Bsc in nursing. if she had to pay we could not afford it. the employers dont seem as keen as they should to help with learning. the trust pays for some courses but only to a very limited number of people. Thanks for the encouragment I recently sat a Human Biology exam with a group of nurses, their course was only available if sponsored through the NHS, although I believe we sat the same exam paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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