Are colleges really to be Blamed for Jobless Gen Z Adults?

Currently, there are more than 4 million Gen Z adults who are jobless, and one of the main reasons is that many college degrees do not prepare students for the real world. Despite the years the students put in to study, and spend money on, a lot of these students fail to come out of college carrying the skills employers desire. As mentioned in Yahoo News there are more than 4 million Gen Zers who are unemployed. Analysts say the rise in NEETs is due to a system of unfulfilled promises and 'worthless degrees' that are given by colleges. One in five Gen Zers is classified around the world as a NEET, not in education, employment or training. 

The Problem with Worthless Degrees

Today many college courses are too theoretical and find too much outdated content. In some fields like general arts, sociology, business or management degrees, students do not get to learn any practical or technical knowledge. These subjects can look amazing on paper, however they do not always teach students how to carry out true jobs. Thus, young adults are educated but unemployable.

Are colleges to be Blamed for Jobless Gen Z Adults?

Opinions about the joblessness of Gen Z goes both ways; some even blame colleges as one of the causal factors to Gen Z being jobless. The real problem runs much deeper, how companies do and do not treat young workers, how the job market has changed.

The problem today is not that many graduates have “worthless” degrees, but that many companies don’t want to hire and train entry level workers. Young people are expected to have experience, and if they don’t, they are rejected. On top of that, companies do not want to pay fair wages, especially to fresh graduates. That’s not the fault of education, that’s the result of corporate greed.

All degrees have value. There are some which appear to be related to direct job roles like Engineering, Accounting, etc. Psychology, Communications, or American Studies are just a few examples that others, like any other careers, lend to the building of critical thinking, writing and problem-solving skills. There is no such thing as an obvious path and yet, if it isn’t obvious, it is useful.

Rather than blaming education, we ought to work on ensuring that fair job opportunities are created, which will encourage companies to invest in young talent and teach students how to exploit their skills in different industries. This is not really about bad degrees, it is about a job system that does not cater sufficiently to young people.

The contribution of higher education to the increase in NEET Gen Zers

Obviously some academic disciplines present a clearer path to a successful career than others, such as the health care sector, where one million net new employment, including home health aides, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners are expected to be created in the United States alone over the next ten years. According to Fortune, millions of years of students every year receive degrees that offer a less defined job path, leaving students under employed and financially stressed. Yet, despite the long term prospect, a college degree has an average return on investment of 681 percent over 40 years, and there is a Great Wealth Transfer promised, it may be too late for students stuck with rising student loan debt in an uncertain labor market.

Not Prepared for the Real World

Most of the time, schools do not prepare students to compete in the real world by helping them with working in teams, solving problems, and using modern tools and technology. Most graduates complete college without knowing how to create a decent resume, speak effectively in the interview, or even use simple workplace software. Every day, the gap between what is taught in class and what companies want is getting bigger and bigger.

Courses That Need to Be Rethought

Some courses that need a serious update or rethink include:

●    Traditional general arts without practical skills

●    Degrees that lack internships or industry exposure

●    Courses with outdated syllabus and no digital or tech training

●    Degrees that don’t include communication, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills

Colleges have to be in close touch with industries about the kind of courses they should design so that the students are ready for the job and students should be encouraged to learn beyond textbooks.

The Importance of Upskilling

Students will be left behind if they don’t upskill. Those degrees may be there, but without practical knowledge, those degrees do not help you get a job. Upskilling essentially means learning new things that are relevant in today’s job market: digital tools, coding, content creation, marketing, data analysis, and so on, including things like public speaking.

More and more educated youth will stay jobless in the end if colleges don’t change and students don’t take charge of their learning. The system needs not only degrees but skills that will form the basis of careers.

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