The 21st Century has brought with it, among many others, high rates of unemployment. Despite the increased level of technology and innovations, the population has also increased and the level of education, together with the number of grandaunts every year has also hit the roof top. Due to this, we have many unemployed American youths and elderly people too. Some of these people are well educated and have been through the education system, but securing a well-paying and permanent job is becoming a very tricky situation. It is, therefore, clear that there is a problem in the equation of education output and the job market; this equation does not balance at all. The discussions in this paper tend to point out what the issues are in this equation and how they can be solved to help balance the equation and reduce the unemployment rates.
One of the issues that we should first consider is the problem, and the problem is the fact that there is a very large output from our education systems compared to the needs of the labor market. According to Behrens and Rosen (293), the employment for college graduates has decreased drastically for the past two tears. The starting salary of the few that can get those jobs has also hit rock bottom. From most of the offices, we have thousands of graduates applying for specific job positions and only few are taken. The rest are opting for the few jobs that can also be done by people who have not set foot even to a high school classroom. You can find a college graduate sweeping floors of Wal-Mart, or tending bars or even as a security guard. Most of the jobs that are available and do not pay well do not even require a college degree. Due to such situations, we have displacements in the labor market at a high rate too. Some of these jobs, such as supermarket attendants, gas station attendants, alcohol stores and limousine services among many others, are, usually, done by high school graduates. When college graduates start applying for these jobs and being preferred to those with high school degrees, then we have displacements all the way down. The high school graduates and drop-outs have no chances of getting employed since they will be done by the college graduate competitors. According to Behrens and Rosen (294), it is easier for an individual to be thrown out of the labor market because of inadequate schooling.
Another factor that should be considered is the replacement of the ageing with the fresh graduates. Most of these graduates can be employed on a part-time basis. The ageing, no matter how productive they are, can also be employed on a part-time basis so as to give them time to rest, especially since most of them are, usually, ill. Alternating working hours between these two groups will provide an opportunity for the young to learn while still on the job. It is also a very good strategy to help them earn a living; no matter how little it is, as long as they are doing what they love and what they studied back in college. The elderly on the hand can still earn and provide for their families before their retirement, and enjoy a little time of that they can use to rest or doing their work. Another issue that can be focused on in helping the graduates to earn a living and in also reducing the level of unemployment is by encouraging our children to discover and pursue their talents. Some of these graduates have talents, such as acting, singing, painting, drawing among many others.
The government should ensure that these industries are easily accessible to these young people. The more they are encouraged to pursue their talents the more we are reducing the number of unemployed youths in America. Most of these young people will end up being self-employed and creating more job opportunities for others. For example, one of the students is an artist; he or she can open up an art gallery where paintings and drawings can be sold to art lovers all over America. With time, this art gallery can grow and create employment to art consultants and provide a platform for other young artists. The government should also provide avenues through which, such unemployed college graduates can access funding and loans to start up their businesses. Self-employment should also be an option that is easily available to young people. Most of the firms and industries might not be in a position to employ these graduates, but with funding and easy access to funds, the youths can come up with ideas or businesses that can sustain them.
The most important thing to note is that with an imbalance between the education system output and the labor market, the rate of unemployment will be very high. Unemployed youths tend to make the wrong decisions and take the wrong turns in life from desperation. Some of these decisions might involve the use of drugs and involvement in criminal activities (Ayres, 14). As much as many studies show that there is no correlation between unemployment and the rate of crime and violence, it is clear from most evidence that these two are very closely related. In Latin America, where most of the young people dropout or have no opportunities in the labor market end up being involved in criminal activities. Drug trafficking and use of these drugs is rampant in these areas. One of the measures that can be taken towards the reduction of these crimes and unemployment, the government or concerned parties can implement an employment program. Such a program can be used to lay emphasis and educate the youths and other unemployed people of the informal sector employments. They can also be taught on how to start up their businesses and how they can manage them to help them grow.
The discussions in this paper shed light on the problems between the education system output and the labor market. As much as there is imbalance, many decisions have to be made do as to maintain a balance between the two simply because many graduates will be leaving colleges in the years to come and the labor market is not getting any friendlier. The government and the parents can be guardians in helping the young to make the right decisions concerning their careers and talents. Young people should be encouraged to pursue their talents. They should also be given avenues through which they can start up their businesses. Apart from all these, they should also be encouraged to major in subjects that are less crowded.
Works Cited
Ayres, Robert L. Crime and violence as development issues in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1998. Print.
Behrens, Laurence, and Leonard J. Rosen. Writing and reading across the curriculum. 12th ed.
New York: Pearson Longman, 2012. Print.
Cheal, David J.. Aging and demographic change in Canadian context. Toronto: University of
Toronto Press, 2002. Print.
