Dubbed the “Covid generation,” researchers across the United Kingdom are raising alarms on the lasting economic and emotional strain faced by the U.K.’s youth. At the current rate, research indicates that youth unemployment is on course to more than triple the youth unemployment levels seen since the early 1980s as a result of the second pandemic wave hitting the U.K. The Resolution Foundation has found that unemployment among economically active 18-29 year-olds could hit 17% by late 2020, the same level of unemployment that youth faced in 1984. Lasting unemployment for youth can have detrimental impacts on mental health and long-lasting damages to earning potential and achieving higher living standards. This, coupled with the rising cases of COVID-19 infections and the region in the midst of a second lockdown during the holiday season only adds to the anxiety young adults are facing.
As the Guardian reports, “Issuing a warning over the mental health risks linked to lockdown and economic insecurity, the think tank said the proportion of adults experiencing poor mental health had increased by 80% among 18- to 29-year-olds compared to a year ago, the biggest increase of any age group. In a sign of the financial impact of the crisis, it said about one-in-seven people under the age of 30 have missed a rent or mortgage payment since the pandemic began, compared to just one-in-thirty 60- to 69-year-olds.”
As the 2021 term approaches, it is critical that career services staff at universities support their students seeking employment by hosting virtual career fairs with employers who are hiring. Whether it be for an internship, work-study opportunity, or full-time employment career services staff are uniquely positioned to give their students some encouragement and ease some financial and mental health strain. While the virtual world has made things harder, it has also opened up more opportunities for students to find remote employment by removing the barrier of a physical location inhibiting someone from applying for a job or meeting with an employer not in their current geographic location. By utilizing virtual career fairs, career services staff can continue to connect with students and help them find a job around the globe.
Symplicity is passionate about expanding access to relevant opportunities and services to diverse student populations while preparing your students for meaningful careers. With Symplicity's Virtual Career Fair students, employers, and career services staff can successfully connect with video capability and analytics—available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. Our aim is to empower students and employers with a modern, fully virtual platform for students to find opportunities and for universities to continue the career readiness experience—whether a campus is open, hybrid, or fully online.
For more information about virtualizing student services, email info@symplicity.com or schedule a conversation.
