It's true. Our generation is having trouble finding jobs and staying in school. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean we should throw in the towel and go home to mommy. What it does mean is that we need to be diligent and aware of how society is changing so that we can adapt to the demands of the world and become indispensable assets.
In her article for Her Campus, Gabriela Szewcow describes the steps each of us can take in order to prevent our generation from falling behind.
According to this article on The Huffington Post, going to college is no longer a way to secure you a solid future. They say, "even the most educated are having trouble finding work." With the article highlighting the top eight reasons why America's youth is falling behind, I'm sure you'd all agree that this is discouraging news. Well, before you get too upset and drop out of school to backpack around the world, read on to discover how our generation can start catching up.
1. View change as a positive thing
Salwa Nur Muhammad, assistant director of internships and service learning at Wellesley College, works closely with college students looking to find internships and future job opportunities. She recognizes the challenges that our generation faces in terms of the changing job force. "It's definitely a challenging situation with this generation," she says. "But it's all about responding to that change and taking advantage of different opportunities." The Huffington Post pointed out increased debt and increased unemployment rates as two issues that our generation will face. But Muhammad is quick to say that our generation doesn't need to fall behind just because the economy was hit hard. She suggests more specific methods of "catching up," but believes that viewing change as a positive thing is the best place to start.
2. Tap into new and upcoming careers
One positive thing about change is the emergence of new job opportunities. Muhammad says there are many up and coming fields, including environmental and "green" careers. "There are certain fields available today that older generations did not have access to," she says. "And the government even has more funding for those areas." Muhammad suggests keeping your eye on where there is more expansion. New web, multimedia and SEO jobs are also available now more than ever. These jobs didn't even exist ten to fifteen years ago, so young people with these skills are in high demand.
Sharon Jones researches new and emerging careers at UNC-Chapel Hill. She says that instructional design, bio informatics, usability specializing and graphic design are up and coming careers that students should look into. "In order to prepare for emerging careers, students should read and keep up with job trends," Jones says.