Or there are fears that the jobs for which the young people have qualified, taken out the student loans, worked their way through and qualified, simply won't exist in the future. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has warned that up to half of white collar work could be automated by 2030 In this country, MB warns that young people may struggle to get onto the employment ladder as an increasing amount of entry level work is automated. The unemployment rate among New Zealand's 15 to 24 year olds currently sits at around 15% triple that of the working age population. These are young people who are looking for work. They weren't faffing around just taking a dole or a youth allowance. These are young people who want work and the unemployment rate is around 15%
Research from the AI Forum in this country earlier this year showed that 45% of businesses were planning to lower their headcount due to implementing AI. So not only are they struggling to find jobs in the field that they've studied and they've graduated in, there's real concern that they're not going to get a job in 10 years from now, that job simply won't be there. There was a review of a number of go get em tiger type books in The Economist this week under the heading "Traditional career advice is failing Gen Z".
Two of the books have authors who tell their readers to get out there and find a career you love, to follow your passion, nothing will make you more successful than loving what you do for a living. But the third author took the opposite approach and I think it's probably the more sensible one. He says get good at something that helps others and the passion will follow. His argument is that if you're good at your job, you'll have more leverage to do enjoyable work than if you pursue a passion and you're mediocre. Don't go for the big bucks, he cites the happiness paradox where once basic comfort and security are met, extra income yields much smaller gains in daily emotional well being. Just being wealthy isn't going to make you happy. You get to a certain tipping point where you can pay all your bills on time, have a little bit set aside for disposable income, a holiday once a year perhaps, that'll do you. Anything beyond that and it's not really worth it. He says do something where you feel valued and where your skills are in demand. Do that rather than follow your dream of becoming a professional YouTuber or a cinematographer or what have you.
I have been very, very lucky to begin a job at 17 that I have loved, and I've pretty much done it on and off since I was 17 working in the media. Being a television presenter, being a radio journalist, being a writer, being a columnist, loved it. Apart from two years of COVID, but we don't need to go into that right now, not today. Absolutely loved it and feel very, very lucky to have done so. But what is your advice to your young people? Or if you are a young person who has recently graduated, how did you decide what to do? How difficult has it been trying to find a job? I mean 15% unemployment among the 15 to 24 year olds. That's a lot of young kids that are knocking on doors willing to do anything, and they are. These aren't lazy kids. They're willing to do damn near anything. They've given up working in screen production or radio or public relations, they just want a job. What's your advice? Do a bit of research and find out what jobs might be AI proof, service jobs, or do you still think it's important to tell kids to follow their passion?
Kerre McIvor, is a journalist, radio presenter, author and columnist. Currently hosts the Kerre Woodham mornings show on Newstalk ZB - where this article was sourced.
Research from the AI Forum in this country earlier this year showed that 45% of businesses were planning to lower their headcount due to implementing AI. So not only are they struggling to find jobs in the field that they've studied and they've graduated in, there's real concern that they're not going to get a job in 10 years from now, that job simply won't be there. There was a review of a number of go get em tiger type books in The Economist this week under the heading "Traditional career advice is failing Gen Z".
Two of the books have authors who tell their readers to get out there and find a career you love, to follow your passion, nothing will make you more successful than loving what you do for a living. But the third author took the opposite approach and I think it's probably the more sensible one. He says get good at something that helps others and the passion will follow. His argument is that if you're good at your job, you'll have more leverage to do enjoyable work than if you pursue a passion and you're mediocre. Don't go for the big bucks, he cites the happiness paradox where once basic comfort and security are met, extra income yields much smaller gains in daily emotional well being. Just being wealthy isn't going to make you happy. You get to a certain tipping point where you can pay all your bills on time, have a little bit set aside for disposable income, a holiday once a year perhaps, that'll do you. Anything beyond that and it's not really worth it. He says do something where you feel valued and where your skills are in demand. Do that rather than follow your dream of becoming a professional YouTuber or a cinematographer or what have you.
I have been very, very lucky to begin a job at 17 that I have loved, and I've pretty much done it on and off since I was 17 working in the media. Being a television presenter, being a radio journalist, being a writer, being a columnist, loved it. Apart from two years of COVID, but we don't need to go into that right now, not today. Absolutely loved it and feel very, very lucky to have done so. But what is your advice to your young people? Or if you are a young person who has recently graduated, how did you decide what to do? How difficult has it been trying to find a job? I mean 15% unemployment among the 15 to 24 year olds. That's a lot of young kids that are knocking on doors willing to do anything, and they are. These aren't lazy kids. They're willing to do damn near anything. They've given up working in screen production or radio or public relations, they just want a job. What's your advice? Do a bit of research and find out what jobs might be AI proof, service jobs, or do you still think it's important to tell kids to follow their passion?
Kerre McIvor, is a journalist, radio presenter, author and columnist. Currently hosts the Kerre Woodham mornings show on Newstalk ZB - where this article was sourced.
7 comments:
Oh its not only the stagnant NZ economy that has hurt our youngsters. Its the inbred older chumocracy running the country where board positions, seats in parliament and top jobs are given out on the basis of who your mates are. NZ is no longer a meritocracy. When I was a kid, VC of Auckland University was Sir Colin Maiden, a Rhodes Scholar, engineer and man who helped found Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. The Chancellor was John Graham, former famous head of Auckland Grammar. Now its washed up former politicians like Grant Robertson who've taken those jobs. Bravo New Zealand.
Onyer Bobbie boy. Slagging off the aristocracy of academe yet again. I bet there’s an invisible force field that forms around you when you enter the Common Room these days.
EVERY GENERATION has struggles when entering employment especially for the first time.
Recessions, wars, stock market crashes etc. have affected every generation since last century and before!
Don't try to feed the narrative making GEN Z anymore special.
That logic and argument is pure and total nonsense.
The rural sector is crying out for people to help on farms, orchards, infrastructure.
Are these unemployed looking beyond their suburbs, or beyond the city limits ?
Most will have never experienced a rural lifestyle, and have no idea how good it can be, how satisfying it can be.
My father , in the 1930s, from the city, worked as a farm laborer as there was so little city work during the Great Depression.
There is little excuse for a fit person to be unemployed in NZ today - go watch Country Calendar and change your lifestyle to something much better.
I agree with annoymous 12: 54 PM . There is dignity in doing any work . Even if it is way below your qualifications . My father did gold panning in Otago during the Depression, but later was an engineer .
Contributing to feeding people is wholesome work . You get out there in the fresh air with everyday people . More valuable than so many Govt. office workers. Doing manual work leaves your mind free to do big thoughts on other intellectual topics eg poetry James Baxter was a postie for a while . He said he could think while he did that .
It may be hard labour but it is spiritually advancing until something more suitable comes along .
I agree with Anon 11:08am (and 10:14am for that matter). Getting ahead in life isn't rocket science (although rocket science is quite a good option). But you do need to be resilient, persevere, and be prepared to make sacrifices. That might mean temporarily relocating to somewhere far from your ideal home base, and doing something a little bit beneath you for a while. When an employer takes a chance on you, make sure you look your best, put in more hours than you're required to, and investigate ways in which you can add greater value. Your employer will be eternally grateful, and will promote you. And don't subscribe to the latest paranoia that AI is going to do you out of a job. For every business that is planning to lower its headcount due to implementing AI, there will be an equivalent number of businesses being formed to take advantage of AI. I do agree with Kerre's thoughts on the choice of vocation. Too many of our young graduates are coming out with qualifications in wokeism, for which there will be no paying customers, ever. Don't do what seems fun to you, do what future customers actually want. And don't buy into this self-pitying philosophy that "Traditional career advice is failing Gen Z". No-one fails you, except yourself.
I didn’t struggle 30 years ago. Plenty of jobs and a thriving economy. Willis really has done a number on this country, while her clown car coalition partners shovel money off to big business special interests, and stoke the fires of division.
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