Yazar: James

More than one million young people under 24 are currently caught in a jobless limbo, and the experts are calling them a “lost generation.” The job market is tough, and the stories of five young individuals navigating this challenging landscape shed light on their struggles and resilience.

Take Zaynah, for instance. At just 24, she’s applied for over 200 jobs since leaving college a year ago, but guess what? Not a single employer has reached out to her. Yup, you heard it right. She’s now part of a six-week charity scheme called Spear, which is helping her regain her confidence. Zaynah had a health condition, eczema, that kept her from pursuing her passion for nail art. She’s always dreamed of working in makeup and has been applying to retail positions in that field. “I never worked before… I wasn’t very confident at all,” she shares. But now, she feels a significant shift. “I can hold conversations better now,” she adds, reflecting on how her experiences have shaped her. Yet, she acknowledges the barrier of experience. “Some people our age don’t know what they want to do, that’s what is holding them back,” she says.

Then we have Luke, 23, who studied product design at Central St Martin’s University. He’s sent out more than 400 applications but hasn’t landed a job yet. “The application process is quite vile,” Luke expresses, detailing how redundantly he has to enter the same information multiple times. It’s disheartening when you enter the job market, thinking your degree will open doors, only to find out that jobs are scarce. “The amount of rejections definitely make you depressed,” Luke confesses, sharing how he started claiming Universal Credit last March. “Entering into the job centres is really depressing,” he admits, feeling a deep sense of rejection. It’s a harsh reality; he’s overqualified for basic jobs like stacking shelves but underqualified for the ones he wants. “I’ve been rejected for cleaning roles, barista jobs, and even waitstaff positions,” he laments.

Tarun, an 18-year-old, faced a setback when he had to travel to India after his grandmother passed away, interrupting his studies. “I started doing plumbing level two… but I had to go to India so they kicked me out,” he recounts. Since returning, he’s been stuck in a loop, applying for various roles but continually facing the experience barrier. “I felt trapped… I just felt lost,” he admits. Motivating himself, he turned to rapping to cope. “I wrote songs, I started rapping to entertain myself. That really helped me,” he says, reflecting on how creativity provided him with solace during tough times.

Eloise, 24, has a first-class degree in English and a master’s in creative writing, yet she finds herself in hospitality, a far cry from her aspirations. Despite her extensive volunteering and work experience, she’s had only four interviews. “Two jobs ghosted me, and only one offered feedback, saying I needed more experience,” she explains. Applying in Stirling and Edinburgh, she’s even used her brother’s address to broaden her chances but to no avail. With the year drawing to a close, Eloise fears being forced to move back to her village and live a minimum-wage life, feeling trapped. “The only person from my masters who has a relevant job went back home to America for it,” she sadly shares.

Lastly, there’s Clover, 20, who spent three years following all the right advice in search of work. “I got lucky,” he says, recalling how a friend vouched for him at a retail job. Even though he’s on a zero-hours contract, he feels grateful. “It’s something and it’s better than what most people have,” he acknowledges. However, he wants more. “I hear older people say younger people don’t want to work, but it’s because they are getting paid nothing for jobs they don’t want to be in,” he reflects. Despite the support from colleges and universities, it often feels like it’s never enough.

A recent report indicates that the education, health, and welfare systems are no longer fit for purpose when it comes to preparing young people for the adult world. It suggests that the education system is failing to produce young people ready for work, as each graduate role now attracts around 140 applications.

These stories highlight a grim reality where young individuals are left feeling disillusioned in a job market that seems to have turned its back on them. Will things change soon? Or will the “lost generation” continue to struggle in silence?

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber

The reality for many young job seekers is grim, and it’s not just a few unlucky souls. Experts are highlighting a “lost generation,” with over a million individuals under 24 caught in a frustrating limbo, lacking both jobs and training opportunities that could lead them there. Take Zaynah, a 24-year-old who, since leaving college a year ago, has thrown her hat into the ring for more than 200 jobs, yet not a single employer has reached out to her. She’s currently participating in a six-week charity scheme named Spear, which is helping her rebuild her confidence. “I had eczema, which really held me back from pursuing my passion for nail art. I’ve always wanted to work in makeup,” she shares. She’s now applying for makeup roles in retail, but her journey hasn’t been easy. “I’ve never worked before and I was quite shy. Now, I can hold conversations better, but I feel like my lack of experience is really holding me back. Some people my age, they just don’t know what they want to do, and that’s what’s keeping them stuck,” she adds.

Then there’s Luke, a 23-year-old who graduated from Central St Martin’s University with a degree in product design. He’s been on a relentless hunt, applying for over 400 positions. “The application process is pretty vile,” he explains. “You fill out your details online, and then they want the same information again in a different format. You end up redoing everything from scratch.” Luke emphasizes that anyone graduating would naturally think they are ready for entry-level jobs, only to find out that many companies are either financially strapped or have replaced roles with AI. The constant rejections have taken a toll on his mental health. “I started claiming Universal Credit last March. Walking into job centers is a real downer. It feels like all my efforts mean nothing. You want to enter your field but don’t have enough experience for the job,” he says, adding that he’s often deemed overskilled for basic roles like stacking shelves, a task he’s done before. “I even got rejected for cleaning jobs and typical café roles. I had one interview for a janitorial position – they said they’d get back to me, but I never heard anything.”

Tarun, at just 18, experienced a family tragedy when his grandmother passed away, prompting a trip to India that interrupted his studies. “I was doing plumbing level two, but I had to leave. When I came back, I was lost,” he admits. “I’ve been looking for work and education for a year, but I kept hitting dead ends. They all asked for experience I didn’t have. I felt trapped in a loop.” Yet, he found a way to cope by channeling his energy into writing and rapping. “It helped me entertain myself during that tough time,” he reflects.

Eloise, 24, is another frustrated job seeker, despite holding a first-class degree in English and creative writing, along with a master’s. “I’ve done tons of volunteering and work experience, but still, I’ve only had four interviews,” she laments. “I took a temp job at a pub, but it’s not what I want to do. Two jobs ghosted me, and only one gave feedback saying I needed more experience.” She’s been applying in both Stirling and Edinburgh, even using her brother’s address to increase her chances, but nothing has panned out. “I’m really worried. If I don’t find work by the end of this year, I might have to move back to my village and live a minimum-wage life. The only person from my master’s program who has a relevant job moved back to America for it,” she shares.

Clover, only 20, spent three years following advice on job hunting, and now has a retail job with no guaranteed hours. “I got lucky because a friend vouched for me,” he explains. “It’s a zero-hours contract, and while it’s something, it’s not where I want to be. I hear older folks say we don’t want to work, but it’s just that we’re being offered peanuts for jobs we don’t want.” He notes how often he applied to postings, only to hear back 1 out of 10 times. Colleges and universities offer support for crafting CVs and applying effectively, but the reality is that even with all that help and extensive volunteering, it just never seems to be enough.

John Boumphrey argues that the education system isn’t adequately preparing young people for the workforce. Recruiters are noting that each graduate role now receives around 140 applications, making the competition fierce. Meanwhile, a water firm is working with the government to allocate 25 roles each year to those who have been in care, marking an important initiative. As Stella Black echoes the sentiment of many, she’s applied for hundreds of jobs only to receive a handful of responses.

So, what’s next for this generation of hopefuls? The struggles continue as they navigate an increasingly competitive job market, balancing dreams with harsh realities.

Kaynak: Orijinal Haber