Here is what I think from someone who went to local schools here and have worked here for sometime. Why are people here making 30k or less, because they honestly are not adding much value to anything. The problem with Taiwan is, from the time of a childās education begins to entering the work force, they are offered a very linear path with not much wiggle room or incentive to divulge from this linear path that pumps out clone robotic workers that add zero value to the company. The Steve jobs, Elon musks, Bill gates of Taiwan have either had their spirits broken and made to conform into the education system or are now selling bubble team at a night market.
There is almost no incentive and value or reward to people who want to do things outside of school. Kids have zero time to pursue their own hobbies have free time, so parents and kids are forced to make the choice in competing in school with all their time vs giving their child a chance to pursue things that may or may not pay off. For example, my sister used to love watching movies, especially old classic movies from famous directors in our home theater. She would do that all day and look up information and knowledge on film. I thought it was stupid, I pursued other things with my time like sports and entertainment. Now she has a great job at warner brothers in the US, do you think Taiwanese parents will be keen on letting their child watch classic black and white movies or force them into buxibans to do well on tests? Even when I got back here, I can make 1500 a hour because of my experience with sports, playing and working out with college and pro athletes and trainers. My knowledge of training and playing was valuable here, because few people have it, and for the small percentage of people who wish to gain it, they are willing to pay a lot for it. But at the end of the day, sports are not a valuable interest in Taiwan with high rewards. You donāt get scholarships for free education here if you happen to be good. Players get 1 year contracts here and paid little with no help if they injured. Not just players, even one sports team like the Yankees. Think of how much jobs a single sports franchise brings, the people building yankee stadium. Players, coaches, front office, marketing, sales, promoting, security, analyst, photographers, journalist. You donāt even have to be an athlete to make money from a interest in sports. Some of my friends write for ESPN and such that never played on a school team. Can you say that Taiwan offers that same opportunity?
You think kids here have a chance to take apart a car engine, build and alarm clock, write code, make a simple video game, go take pictures, etc. The system is backwards and will never build anyone with innovation, they teach you this is a wrench and this is a screw, instead of hey this is a car engine. Lets take it apart, well what do you need to take this screw off, a wrench.
With so few incentives outside of the āsafeā path, no wonder you pump out thousands of generic workers who are not able to add any value to the business besides being told what to do. Thats why they get 30k or less.
Half the kids here are better off going to a trade school.
Very doubtful