We’ve all been transfixed by the protests in the Middle East. Much has been said about the role social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter played in getting the crowds together for the demonstrations.
But why are they protesting? From what I’ve read, the young people in Egypt, Yemen and Libya want the same things a lot of their counterparts in the U.S. want: A job and the chance for a better life.
According to one Op-Ed piece I read recently, the unemployment rate for youth in this country is 48.9%. That means half of the young people in this country cannot find a job.
That’s disturbing on so many levels. One, how can these young people ever buy a home, rent an apartment or even buy a car without a job? And let’s not forget that many college graduates are burdened with hefty amounts of student loan debt.
This is not a good harbinger for economic prosperity in this country.
President Obama has implored business leaders to hire more workers, but so far, those words have fallen on deaf ears. Corporate leaders respond they are too “uncertain” about the economy. I think they are waiting for an even more friendly Congress to wipe out as many taxes as they can.
It must be equally frustrating for young people to stagnate at such a young age, a time when they should be making their mark in the world, when they are surrounded by so many images of success by people barely out of puberty. Justin Bieber is a superstar at age 16! Mark Zuckerberg a billionaire before age 30! And please don’t get me started on Ke$ha.
At least when I graduated from college it was expected that it would take some time before I climbed up the ladder of my profession…and it did. Now, young people have to be at the top of their field no later than their 21st birthday. That’s a heavy burden to put on someone just out of college.
Companies often say applicants don’t have the exact skills they are looking for. Well, you could train someone who is bright and otherwise qualified. But managers are lazy and they don’t want to train incoming employees. And it’s going to take time for schools and colleges to put in the necessary curriculum to educate young people in those new skills. There is going to be a lag. In the meantime, companies must teach new hires if they want their firms to grow and prosper.
Since I’m at the other end of the spectrum—I won’t give my age but let’s say I’m between Lady Gaga and Betty White—I have to say that this employment market has not been kind to older workers either. Many have been let go because of their supposed high salaries and employers view them as out of touch with today’s technology. That’s a bit unfair. I’m certainly willing to take a cut in a pay and learn new skills, if only someone would give me the chance.
It’s also been said that one way to reduce the national deficit is to cut entitlement programs like Social Security. But neither political party seems willing to do that. There’s a reason why it’s called the third rail of politics.
One suggestion has been to push up the retirement age. I’m all for that. Health permitting, I’d love to work well beyond retirement age. Provided, of course, I have a job. Raising the retirement age will only help cut the budget deficit if companies hire workers—of all ages.
So you see, young and old are not that far apart on this issue. Maybe we should get together and march on Washington, D.C. for jobs.
Young people can push our wheelchairs and in return, we’ll co-sign your car loans. A deal?
No comments:
Post a Comment