UK universities are pivotal to the UK’s research industry, providing innovation to a whole host of sectors. Supercomputers and high performance computing (HPC) has fed into this innovation for decades. However, worrying trends recently suggest an exodus of talent and the search for new horizons in other sectors of industry. Here, Owen Thomas, founder of Red Oak Consultancy, asks why, arguing that the human capital behind the world's fastest supercomputers needs urgently to be retained before it is too late.
HPC staff working in research and education often possess a unique set of skills and experiences that make them highly sought after in the corporate world. The transition from academia to the corporate sector is an increasingly common career move, and there are several compelling reasons behind this trend. UK universities have a challenge on their hands; not just in retaining their very best talent, but in helping to provide clearer pathways and better opportunities for young, fresh candidates through study options and then into research and HPC.
