European Science Jobs Hold Up

Employment in science-related sectors across the European Union has been strong despite the economic recession, with wages for the region’s 22 million high-tech workers up 19% and unemployment consistently below 4% between 2000 and 2011, according to a study by the Belgian university KU Leuven. Science workers, defined in the study as those employed in science, technology, engineering, and math, represented 10% of all workers employed in the region. High-tech employment grew at more than twice the rate of total employment during the 11-year period. The study’s authors also found that high-tech workers earned 19% more than other workers. Google funded the study.