Young, Qualified and Unemployed
By Olivia McAteer

NWRC journalism student, Olivia McAteer reflects on the challenges of internships, securing work and earning a decent wage.

Years of applications and countless unpaid internships later, many young people still cannot find a full-time job that pays a living wage. For Generation Z, this is not about a lack of effort. It is about a job market that simply does not work for us.

We were raised to believe that if we studied hard, went to university, and gained experience, things would fall into place, but for many of us, that promise no longer holds true. University is now so expensive that it is an unattainable goalfor many working and middle-class students. Those who do manage to attend often have to juggle their studies with part-time work in bars or restaurants to stay afloat. Loans, grants and scholarships have become essential rather than optional.

Higher education is quickly becoming an elitist domain. In the 1960s and 70s, tuition fees were free or fairly low. This changed in 1998. As of 2023, students in the UK and Northern Ireland face annual tuition fees of up to £9,250. This has made access to education the first major barrier for young people hoping to secure stable employment.

Even with a degree, the challenges do not stop. The phrase “you need experience to get experience” has never felt more relevant. Many “entry-level” jobs now ask for several years of experience. As a result, many graduates feel pressure to over-qualify themselves just to compete, even though this does not guarantee better job prospects.

Older generations often attribute this to Generation Z beinglazy. However this is simply not the case. We are not looking for shortcuts. We are asking for a fair system. We are repeatedly told to gain experience, but experience does not pay rent or bills. In the UK, students often leave university with tens of thousands of pounds in debt, only to discover that entry-level jobs pay barely enough to get by, if they are accessible at all.

How can anyone call us lazy when we are expected to pay nearly £10,000–a–year for a degree, then work unpaid internships just to compete for a minimum wage job?

Even when we do find work, wages have failed to keep pace with the cost of living. Rent, food and transport have all risen sharply, while salaries have remained stagnant. Many young people now work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. In contrast, earlier generations could often buy homes and start families on a single, stable income straight out of school.

We also are subject to constant pressure to succeed. We are expected to hustle, stay competitive and build a career in an unstable market. It is no surprise that mental health issues such as anxiety and depression are on the rise among my generation. We are not unmotivated, we are overwhelmed.

If we want a fairer future, we must stop blaming young people and begin addressing the structural problems that have made stable, full-time employment a pipe dream. We are not broken, the job market is.