[Supervisor’s name]
Introduction
“Generation Y” also called the “Millennial Generation” refers to the teenage population that was born after “Generation X”. Although there are no specific dates when the generation started or came to an end, reporters analyzing events use the birth years beginning from the early 1980’s to early 2000’s. The generation is also called “Echo Boomers” which is in proportion to the “Baby Boomer” generation. Limited employment opportunities have shaped the attitudes of this generation because it has contributed to their poverty .
Attitudes
Surveys carried out by publications such as the “Economist” suggests that this generation is more liberal than previous generations regarding social and cultural issues and most of them support typical liberal economic policies including same sex marriages, and the legalization of drugs. This generation is also more critical of capitalism than their elders. However, economic opportunities for this generation are not very optimistic, and governments of many countries have initiated “Youth Employment Schemes” to avoid social unrest because of the decreased number of job opportunities available. In many countries, financial difficulties have led to increase in poverty among the youth. This has resulted in an “occupy Wall Street Movement” since 2011, but all adherents are not from among the youth only, it has participants who are quite old who are either unemployed or under-employed and who blame their poverty on speculators who manipulate stock exchanges and the economy .
Gen Y can't find jobs
Although “Gen Y” is better educated, better informed and more professional than any previous generation, they are unable to find work, or cannot find the sort of work that they would really like to do. Their levels of confidence are much greater, and though they may not “live to work” they do need work in order to live. The jobs that they mostly desire usually are Silicon Valley type of jobs, working with laptops in their T-shirts. Being comfortable with the latest technologies has made them quite arrogant, and they feel that they are not able to work in the way that they want. Therefore “Gen Y” could well become the lost generation. The education that they acquired to get better paying jobs now offers dead end avenues mainly due to government and private companies outsourcing to countries where labor is cheaper or hiring immigrants who can afford to work for less .
The Unemployed Generation
With the current levels of youth unemployment and rising, Generation “Y” can truthfully be called the “The Unemployed Generation”. Although most of these unemployed youth possess one or even two degrees, they have problems in getting jobs. Another major issue is that most of these unemployed youth have majored in the wrong subjects and have earned the wrong types of degrees that are not in demand by employers. Another factor is that most students graduate with a hefty student debt, and their frustrations increase as they need to sort of jobs that will help them repay their student loans as quickly as possible. Employers want degrees along-with experience and some youngsters who have degrees lack the experience and vice versa. Employers usually look to hire applicants with the appropriate degree and a minimum of 2 years working experience. Due to more youngsters earning degrees, employers have their pick of applicants and sometimes the hired applicants are paid low wages
Recession
The current recession has added to the difficulties of the Y Generation because not that they are the only generation that faces unemployment, but because they are much better educated than previous generations. It seems that everyone with a degree wants executive positions and most are not willing to work with their hands in professions that do not use laptops or other newer technologies. There are thousands of jobs such as working as a carpenter or nurse where they have to work with their hands, but most young people earn degrees in computer technologies and because there is a glut of people wanting to work in IT, they cannot find jobs. They need to diversify into other fields if they want to find work
Conclusion
There is no doubt that this generation is facing a very tough time and has great financial difficulties, but the thing is that they should try and explore other avenues for employment or earning a living. Not everyone can work in IT, and there are just so many openings for executives or high paid corporate jobs. There is still a lot of work out there, and all that is needed is that the “Y Generation” looks around for other ways to make a decent living. Staying unemployed and blaming the government or Wall Street for their plight will not help them. Granted there is a recession and things are tough, but exploring other avenues for employment will not hurt and might actually benefit them.
Works Cited
Bita, Natasha. "Gen Y in grip of unemployment crisis as jobless rate soars, Centrelink data reveals." News.com.au 10 January 2014.
Freifeld, Lorri. "The Unemployed Generation." Training 28 August 2013.
Glass, Amy. "Understanding generational differences for competitive success." Industrial and Commercial Training 39.2 (2007): 98 - 103.
Moss, Tyler. "Why Generation Y Can't Grow Up: A Recession Tale." Huffpost Arts and Culture 16 June 2012.
Murphy, Damien. "Gen Y can't I find a job?" The Sydney Morning Herald 13 July 2013.
