WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A ....

Occupation category	Numbers (2001)	Numbers (2009)	Percentage decrease
Assemblers (electrical products)	108,076	33,885	69
Collector salespeople and credit agents	26,735	9,794	63
Assemblers (vehicles and metal goods)	68,745	26,556	61
Typists	36,682	15,189	59
Bookbinders and print finishers	36,266	15,385	58
Metal-making and treating process operatives	27,732	11,910	57
Metal machine setter and setter-operators	94,580	40,708	57
Telephonists	49,581	22,090	55
Precious instrument makers and repairers	35,907	19,559	54
Sewing machinists	74,480	35,757	52
Tool makers, tool fitters and markers-out	35,691	17,136	52
Printing machine minders and assistants	34,098	18,060	47
Telephone salespeople	93,014	52,020	44
Roundsmen and van salespeople	35,300	35,300	43
Plastics process operatives	69,596	39,492	43
Textiles and garment trades	59,261	35,492	40
Quality assurance technicians	20,705	8,255	40
Shopkeepers and wholesale and retail dealers	204,638	123,516	40
Glaziers and fitters	59,255	36,397	39
Metal-working machine operatives	110,029	67,626	39

The winners

Occupation category	Numbers (2001)	Numbers (2009)	Percentage increase
Conservation and environmental protection officers	11,797	26,470	124
Paramedics	11,101	23,798	114
Legal associate professionals	24,509	51,250	109
Refuse and salvage occupations	21,750	44,393	104
Leisure and theme park attendants	11,101	22,471	102
Town planners	13,886	26,931	94
Educational assistants	252,358	482,979	91
Driving instructors	23,265	44,494	91
Registrars and senior educational administrators	25,195	44,210	75
Purchasing managers	24,415	41,457	70
Psychologists	20,947	35,080	67
Undertakers and mortuary assistants	11,157	18,379	65
Beauticians and related occupations	32,476	53,055	63
Youth and community workers	70,868	114,992	62
Senior officials in special interest organisations	17,767	28,385	60
Housing and welfare officers	110,357	176,173	60
Aircraft pilots and flight engineers	15,129	24,079	59
Pharmaceutical dispensers	25,505	40,052	57
Social service managers	32,201	50,463	57
Statutory examiners	11,067	17,275	56

How fucked are we? Coalition, burn it to the ground, salt the earth and let's get started again. Properly this time.

Engineers, technicians (no not nails), designers (no, not shoes)and chemists is what we need. Structure universities to create these skill sets and get a bloody move on.

SOURCE

Hat tip Old Holborn