OFFSETTING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

 IT can hardly be disputed that the importance of youth and the current ‘millennial’ generation transcends economics, social issues and national prosperity, particularly in Africa.

The demand for skilled workers in the knowledge economy has created hindrance for a large portion of the world’s youth, especially in developing countries where higher education systems are burdened with the challenge of ‘adding value’ in terms of enhancing the employability in the new age labour market. A lot of young people around the world are sadly unable to find decent work, despite many of them holding professional qualifications.

Worthy of note is that today’s youth find themselves in an era where, for the first time in modern history, the pure economic value of a higher qualification has reached an unprecedented low.

Azim Shariff, in his book, observed that adults engaged in self-employment more than youth, especially in developed countries. He further observed that self-employment is much more appreciated among Sub-Saharan Africa than other regions of the world.
Youth are recognised as a major source of human capital and serve as key agents of socio-economic, cultural and political development, not to mention their valued and insatiable appetite for technology and its advancements.

The boundless vision, ideologies and energy of young people (less than 35yrs of age, according to some African countries’ classifications) are essential for the continuing development of society.

Their training, development, intellectual perspectives and productive abilities are key determinants of the
progress and future of the human race. So why is it such an uphill battle for millions of young people across the world to find employment and secure long-lasting opportunities?

The answer is relevance. Being a lifelong student, as a principle, has never been more important than it is today. We should be strongly encouraging present youth and future generations to accelerate their critical thinking abilities, innovative questioning methods of design, and we should be fostering creativity to offset youth unemployment instead of damaging it through obsolete education systems and endless lists of standardised assessments. Consider education in Poland, Finland and Iceland where nature and climate change are critical challenges which children are invited to feel responsible for contributing to the solution of: homework is unheard of and classrooms flex between the indoor and outdoor environments. This approach radically changes the relationship that youth develop with the world around them.

Is it too emotionless, then, to think of unemployment as an inefficient use of existing resources instead of a reason to throw a pity party? (The case of African political parties) Considering mass retrenchments underway at companies like Standard Bank in South Africa and also some companies in Malawi, is it too cold and brutal to ask the fundamental question of what could 1 000+ former employees do to bring up their own skill levels and address their need for income in a different way to applying at another similar organisation?

What does this get us? Neighbourhood deterioration and more pressure on already-burdened police service which battle enough corruption on a day-to-day basis. So, what are we trying to tell you?

Buy fruit and veg from your local farmer’s market; spend money on tickets to watch local theatre productions in between your visits to watch the blockbuster movies; create work and create opportunities for young people where you can because your single idea may easily impact more than 100 lives within just one year of bringing it to life.

Written by: MphatsoKampeni

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