Skyrocketing living costs and lack of government support are deterring potential PhD candidates. Experts say the obvious solution is to lift the stipend
PhD students are already years past being “apprentices”. You have to already done at least 4 years of study (3 year undergraduate + honours year at minimum) to start a PhD, and most will have done 5 or more (undergraduate + 2 year research masters)
I can’t help it if it is a long and arduous path to the career that they have chosen. But the fact is, they’re still in the education system and learning/ gaining experience at this point, just like apprentices.
I don’t disagree that the pay is shit and that it could go up a bit if it is actively discouraging people to do their PhD. Being used as cheap labour is a problem for both apprentices and PhD students alike, it seems.
PhD students are already years past being “apprentices”. You have to already done at least 4 years of study (3 year undergraduate + honours year at minimum) to start a PhD, and most will have done 5 or more (undergraduate + 2 year research masters)
I can’t help it if it is a long and arduous path to the career that they have chosen. But the fact is, they’re still in the education system and learning/ gaining experience at this point, just like apprentices.
I don’t disagree that the pay is shit and that it could go up a bit if it is actively discouraging people to do their PhD. Being used as cheap labour is a problem for both apprentices and PhD students alike, it seems.