The Covid Recession
In the United States, millions of workers of all ages have suffered job losses during the pandemic. The economic impact students has been intense. In fact, it is said that young people have been hit the hardest. Not only have many college students faced the harsh reality of returning to school without in-person classes, but the “job prospects for those seeking employment have been particularly bleak”. Gary Burtless, Economist at the Brookings Institution, this is much worse than The Great Recession. During the recession, over a five year period, eight to nine million jobs were loss. Now, between February and April, the United States lost 21.5 million payroll jobs. The worst job market in the entire post recession history”. Job search for college students is already a challenge, so imagine the struggle of college students and work during covid.
Covid’s Affect On Young Workers
There are two groups of college students who have been or will be affected the most. The groups are those who are nearing their graduation date and those who have graduated during the pandemic. At the height of the “coronavirus recession” 1 in 4 of ages 16-24 were unemployed, which is more than double the rate for workers 25 and older. Not to mention those rates were much higher for minority groups. If you count people who are unable to find full-time work or have recently given up looking, the numbers jump to more than 1 in 3. About 35% of young workers are underemployed versus 15% of older workers. Based on the numbers, college students and work during covid-19 has definitely taken a hit.
Young workers are disproportionately employed in the industries that the pandemic has hit the hardest. The main industries include hospitality, leisure and retail which are less likely to have jobs where they can telework. Young workers have been excluded from many covid relief policies, and they have not been able to take advantage of unemployment insurance expansions if they didn’t have a job already..
Advice for upcoming and post graduates
Many students are feeling lost and they have no direction in their life right now. College students and work during covid has been a struggle for many. They worry about what to do, whether they will find work or remain unemployed, and many other uncertainties. Below are some tips and advice from experts provided by The National Public Radio.
Be flexible
Be flexible Kamla Charles, coordinator of employer relations at Valencia College in Florida says that “the skills you’re learning within your major are giving you a foundation and be flexible in exploring other industries that are thriving right now, like technology and online platforms…” The experiences and opportunities you take advantage of will ultimately shape your career pathway, more than what you majored in.
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- Think: How can you make the best of these times and use the skills that you’ve learned, but just applying them in a new way?
Utilize Campus Resources
Lean on your school’s supports
“The current pandemic has created a lot of confusion and fear, and for students that can be really paralyzing and especially for those that are entering the job market,” says Mark Peltz, dean of careers, life and service at Grinnell College in Iowa. He says students in this situation should reach out to their school’s career centers on campus.
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- Utilize your resources and connect with an adviser or counselor. They have loads of useful resources for you and advice to give. This will help you develop a gameplan and push you in the right direction.
Gaining New Skills
Focus on gaining new skills.
“The job search is likely going to be extended and how people choose to use that time is important. Take this time to think about what will you do instead. Use this time to maybe shore up a gap in your skill set or take an existing skill to another level,” Peltz says.
Be Patient
Give yourself time to adjust.
“People think gap year before college. How about a gap year after college?” says Dave Evans, co-author of the book Designing Your Life. Maybe now is a time to push the long-term plan off a bit and regroup, by focusing on what’s in front of you right now.
“…When I got the call I kind of knew why they were calling…With nothing on the table now I can redally conisder “what do I want to do, why do i want to do it? and seek out those roles. One of my friends said “this could be a blessing in disguise” and that is how I am trying to look at it…”
“…We should definitely take this time to reflect on ourselves and take it as a vacation time because once we start working that’s it [haha]”
A message to hiring managers would be to “give people like me an opportunity to even get through a door…”
“It’s not just that we’ve lost our jobs, some of us, we’ve lost in person classes, seeing our friends, an in person graduation, and having a job made me feel a sense of comfort…like I’ll have a steady level of work, but now I”m back in this uncomfortable mode.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jada Pierce
Student Author - Spring 2021
