Younger generations face the same issues as older generations. These include access to education and a competitive job market. But each era brings new challenges. Today’s youth face new challenges related to world events and changing information technologies. However, the future prospects for youth are good. And there are ways to support young people in their career search and finding themselves.
What are the prospects for young people and their careers?
Thinking about one’s career and prospects for the future is always a pivotal moment in a young person’s life. Every era is marked by unexpected events that reshuffle the cards of the future, bringing uncertainty and changes. The 2020’s were not spared and the entire world’s population has been holding its breath during the pandemic period.
At that time, youth employment declined due to world events. However, when we are able to put aside this period and move on, the future prospects for youth and their careers continue to improve.
Indeed, with the gradual and constant aging of the population, the needs of the workforce offer more and more job and career opportunities. It is believed that average salaries are increasing and that choices are widening in many sectors of activity, notably in technology.
It should also be noted that with the development of technology, remote jobs are becoming increasingly important and sought after. This new way of working online reduces the problems related to geographical location and travel logistics and can help many become more productive on their own terms.
Moreover, new jobs are appearing and will continue to be created in the future as technologies evolve. Many jobs in the service sector are undergoing profound changes, particularly in maintenance and production. Artificial intelligence and algorithms are increasingly capable of processing complex information with an error rate lower than that of human beings.
What are the challenges young people are facing?
Despite the promising prospects, young people still face many challenges. Like previous generations, they must choose a field of study, which is not an easy decision for anyone. They will also have to deal with greater economic issues, a highly competitive job market and the rapid evolution of the jobs they hold.
- Diplomas: A growing number of young people are leaving the education system with one or more diplomas in their pockets. Yet, obtaining a diploma no longer guarantees access to a job. We are witnessing greater competition between graduates.
- Financial challenges : Not all young people have equal access to higher education. Not all parents are able to finance their children’s education. In addition, young people who live far away from universities must also find and pay for housing.
- The evolution of employment : The job market is constantly changing, but the pace at which it is changing is accelerating. Many skills called “soft skills” are valued and sought after by employers. These skills are not yet taught by the educational system. And yet, today’s youth will have to demonstrate great adaptability, creativity, critical thinking, coordination, etc., in order to keep pace with the world around them.
- Anxiety: With climate change issues and the increasing pace of life, young people are dealing with constant stress. Social media plays an important role in amplifying the sense of anxiety among young people. They emphasize what makes the “buzz”, that is to say the catastrophic narratives that circulate. Urgency and uncertainty have accompanied all eras of human history. However, never before have young people been so bombarded with information, which contributes to a feeling of anxiety.
How do you move forward to better prospects for building your career?
A successful professional life requires knowledge, which university and professional studies can provide. A degree and the skills you earn from it makes it easier to get a job, even if it doesn’t exactly fit the job profile.
Personal and social skills are also particularly important. Perseverance and team spirit are also highly desired qualities. They make it easier to navigate through the changes that the future holds. Asking questions on a daily basis and wondering how the world around us works are excellent ways to sharpen curiosity.
With the young people in your life, don’t hesitate to observe the world with curiosity and never stop being eager to learn. It’s a way to explore new things and to develop a critical mind to question what originally seems “normal”.
Young people who explore and seek to understand their environment develop their strengths naturally. Through observation and experimentation, they can develop their strengths and develop new interests. Summer jobs and internships are a great way to constructively engage with the workforce.
It is also important to remind young people that mistakes are normal and are great sources of learning. In fact, the benefits are twofold – they learn as much about themselves as they do about developing new skills.
As a parent, being a good listener and staying open-minded is what will help your youth the most. A young person needs support as much as they need space in order to make their own decisions. Their future and career choices are theirs to make and may not reflect their parents’ expectations. It is important that they feel heard and supported.
This is why parents must be careful to respect the decisions of young people. The role of parents is to help and support them, as making a decision on one’s future is a difficult step to take. By being a caring presence and helping them to reflect on their skills, parents give their children a positive environment in which they will feel heard and supported. This will increase their motivation and self-confidence.
Sources
https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/efg/2009-n10-efg3114/037519ar
