‘As a young man of the modern era, I can confirm that, without a degree, without any major form of higher education, getting a job in a field that I specifically would like to join — the media — is, seemingly, impossible!’
The above is a quote from a passage that I read, by an acquaintance of mine, just the other day! Sadly, he is right … and to be quite honest, it is becoming a trend for my generation — the lot just before the millennials.
Recently there have been a number of developments in the working world; fairer pay, the creation of more jobs, websites and apps with endless lists of available opportunities, and notably, education for the masses in pretty much any field.
In reality, though, all of these excellent developments and subsequent opportunities which seem to be visible and tangible on the listings and adverts, are, in many instances, entirely unreachable. One could say that it is such a struggle because there are overwhelming numbers of applicants for individual roles within companies. Or, it could be because a large number of us lack the education to do the jobs that we’d like to do. It can even be a case of the ridiculous term that I have recently come across: ‘over-qualification’!
It seems to me though, that there is a much clearer answer — which is certainly true in the United Kingdom. The older generations, who once had their chances to work their way up in their respective industries, from the bottom to the top, who now set the agendas for employment across the country, no longer have faith in young men.
‘A mad statement to make’, you may be thinking to yourself … Or you may even be wondering how we’ve reached it! Here is the reason:
The men who are in charge nowadays benefited from the lingering effects of the historical patriarchy, when they were younger — which the modern feminist movement would claim still holds, of course! However, during their lifetime, the huge drive for increased equality, as well as diversity within the workplace occurred, and political correctness barged its way into every industry.
Those three points are still plaguing the workplace, today. Each has their benefits, of course, but I find that the expectations and the pressure that they put onto industry bosses cause a problem. Quotas, rules and regulations surrounding employment; I understand the reasoning for them, but, at the end of the day …
If you’re just employing a candidate because they are female, or from an ethnic minority, or any other pertinent category — because they fit into your mandatory employment quota … But, are they an important addition to your team, or just a necessary requirement and a useful statistic?
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