Some believe that nowadays young people have more career opportunities than in the past, while others tend to believe that their position is more unstable and confusing. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

The debate on youth employment has been one of the most controversial issues in recent years. It is considered by some that nowadays young people are more likely to find a job than in the past, while others claim that their position has never been so unstable and confusing. This essay will examine both sides of the issue. On the one hand, people who support the idea of more career opportunities for today’s young people, stress a clear link between employment and education. It is certainly true that attending universities is one of the best way to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills, since they provide adequate programs that combine these factors together. For example, internship programmes give students a chance to broaden their skills and experience in a real workplace. As a consequence, employers tend to find young people highly qualified and more attractive in terms of marketability. By contrast, in the past young people were not so specialized and their little experience made it more challenging to find a job. Furthermore, adaptability gives young people a considerable advantage in the modern-day workplace where roles and situations are constantly changing. Recent research has shown that when an unexpected event occurs young people are quick to respond and adapt to it. For example, within a work team they not only show acceptance but they also prepare alternative solutions when their primary choice is rejected. Moreover, they tend to diversify their knowledge in order to perform a considerable variety of tasks and make quickly transitions, even though it may increase their stress level. As a result, the more they increase their knowledge, the wider their job opportunities will be. On the other hand, some people are of the view that the position occupied by young generation is more unstable and confusing. This is because young people are more likely to be hired through temporary contracts, meaning that they are engaged only for a specific period of time. Although temporary employment would undoubtedly bring great benefits to employers who can use this period to test the suitability of the candidate before giving him a permanent position, it has a negative influence on the well-being of young workers. Indeed, being employed in such positions affects their mental health, causing stress, anxiety and depression. Moreover, young people are among those most at risk of low-wage employment. Evidence has shown that they often receive the lowest earnings when they start a new job. This results primarily from their limited work experience and from their educational background, meaning that low-skilled workers are more likely to be low paid than others. As a consequence, they find it more difficult to have a financial security. In conclusion, although education and adaptability allow young people to have more career opportunities than in the past, temporary jobs and low wages make their position more unstable and confusing. In my opinion, nowadays young workers are over-qualified and find it more easy to get a job, however there is an urgent need to ensure both stable jobs and fair wages for them. This must be recognised by politicians, institutions and employers in order to improve the working conditions of young people.