Originally published August 20 2015
Generation pathetic: Spoiled urban kids who never had to work are latest crisis for economy
by J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) For a year-and-a-half, Australian mining employer Jack Trenamen perfected a formula he says helps him predict what kind of job performance he can generally expect from his new hires.
Workers who grew up on farms helping their parents tend to the daily chores from a young age will work hard for him and appreciate whatever pay they receive. "You can't fault 'em on work ethic," he recently told TheNews.com, noting that work habits show up in their performance on the job.
But new hires who come from the continent's more affluent regions – whether that is from the big cities where parents are generally better off financially and provide their kids with spending money, or mining regions where jobs are plentiful and pay is higher – are less eager and not nearly as motivated. It is harder, he says, to get them to engage, get their hands dirty and contribute.
As TheNews.com further reported:
The contracting boss has seen exceptions, of course, but he's also noted strong trends, and what he's picked up is in line with the bigger picture — the grim picture that's emerging of a generation of newcomers to the workforce unprepared for work.
"I've had countless experiences with kids who are just not ready," he said. "They haven't picked up the skills that you learn by working and that's often because they haven't had to."
"They come in late, they don't realise that they might have to do things they don't want to, and they don't appreciate the job," Trenamen continued. "They think if they don't like it here they can just pack up and get another job around the corner, keep chasing that almighty dollar without building their skills."
Lack of motivation for hard work
While he may sound like others who shake their heads at "kids these days," what he's really done is help identify national trends. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, young people attending colleges and universities tend to be less likely to be employed part time to help pay their way. The same is true for high school students; just 31 percent of 15 to 19-year-old students are employed.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Kate Carnell told TheNews.com the figures did not surprise her. She says she could have predicted them based on interviews with several employers like Trenamen. She added that while on paper young workers appear to be more qualified than at any previous time, 20-somethings report for their first jobs with university degrees that are "disconnected with the workforce," as well as a distinct lack of work experience.
"A number of our members consistently tell us they're seeing students come out of university or training programs and they might have the academic or theoretical skills, but no skills to work at all. It makes them really hard to employ," Carnell said.
The U.S. has the same problem
"General issues are not understanding that a job is about turning up on time every day, not just when you feel like, that it's about taking direction, and basic things like you've got to be well presented and you've got to be pleasant," she added. "The number of young people not working while they're in school is one of the problems."
These problems are not just limited to Australia. They are endemic among American college-educated youth as well.
According to a 2013 survey by by employer staffer Adecco, "44% of respondents cited soft skills, such as communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration, as the area with the biggest gap."
Though technical skills – computers, technology, science, math, etc. – are often cited as the one area were new U.S. hires lack the most, in reality most employers say soft skills are the much bigger problem, by far. That's because increasingly, young people don't get work skills in high school or while they're getting a higher education.
Perhaps these young people should appreciate the job they have because not everyone is lucky enough to even have a job. Read more about how unemployment is hurting people all over the country at Unemployment.FETCH.news
Sources:
News.com.au
StLCC.edu
AdeccoUSA.com
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