Throughout the last year, young workers have been hit the hardest by rising unemployment during the pandemic. Millions of workers of all ages have suffered job losses, but the economic impact on young workers has been even more intense. An article in ‘the guardian’ states that those under the age of 35 account for almost 80% of jobs lost in the past year.
Although the UK is emerging from lockdown, measures like the furlough scheme have helped to protect jobs but the number of people out of work is expected to grow… which will most likely impact the young the most.
Many people may not realise that what is happening right now within the work industry can potentially impact young peoples pay and careers for years to come. The start of your career is usually where you gain new skills and experiences and move jobs frequently and therefore your pay increases as a result. Being able to progress during these times are difficult and it may take years for young people to catch up to the level they would have been at pre pandemic.
One of the questions many young people are asking is ‘How am I supposed to get experience for a job if no one will give me work’. Maybe the pandemic will now lead the way for more young people to take their career paths in their own hands and go down the self-employed route. This will give them the opportunity to use the skills they already have whilst building new ones along the way.
Another viable option for young people struggling to find a job could be virtual work as the pandemic has helped us show just how much can be done virtually. Its helped businesses respond during covid and thrive in the ‘new normal’.
Even before the coronavirus there was a steady increase in people choosing to work remotely but this has increased massively over the last few months! So, could this mean a new generation of self-employed and virtual workers?
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