A Snapshot of the Plight: Career, Crisis and College Life by Tamice Namae

Snapshot of the Plight: The Job and Graduation Realities for the Average Student

Student university life is not as clear cut as most would like to believe. Acceptance into college provides an incredible opportunity to graduate with a degree, find employment, and achieve professional success. This is the picture painted when you apply for college, but the reality is often very far from this dream. University is hard work, and there is no guarantee of graduation or that you will find a job in your chosen career after the completion of your studies. There is also no guarantee you will find a job.

From the completion of studies at college to the workplace, the lack of graduation and jobs faced by students has led to an epidemic. This epidemic includes a rising jobless generation of young adults. From graduates to students who have not achieved graduation; attending university does not mean guaranteed employment.

The Graduation Challenges Faced by Students

The modern student is plagued by issues of inequality on campus, financial difficulties, and a need to fit in with peers. Getting caught up in the freedom of a college lifestyle can prevent successful completion of a certificate or degree. Scholarships are available for individuals who cannot cover the expense of tuition. But life happens, and unfortunately, other costs from accommodation and transportation to food and additional college fees are often not covered. This leaves many students vulnerable. Most drop out, others live from place to place, and many end up on the street while trying to pursue higher-level education.

Inequality on campus has compromised the ability for all students across all racial and ethnic backgrounds to access the same privileges. Students of color seeking mental health support are less likely to receive the appropriate treatment plan or access to resources compared to white students. Positions of leadership are often left to popular students rather than those who are hard-working and wish to achieve the same opportunities.

From broken families and financial difficulties to a lack of support, guidance, and opportunity inside and outside of college, more students are not completing their graduation.

Graduation and the Workplace

While the university is an incredible educational platform, it lacks the practical experience and hands-on approach that students need to secure employment upon completion of their studies. Many graduates are also not prepared for the pressures and the criticism that comes with their new jobs. Excelling at college only to be criticized for your efforts in your career can cause a severe lack of confidence and an inability to continue with the stress of the position.

Despite possessing a graduate degree, most of the jobs available to students are at an entry level. Graduates often leave university, believing they will walk into a high paying position with a title. This is not so. All students start at the bottom and must work as hard as everyone else to achieve the necessary results.

Fewer jobs are available in a fickle economy. Most companies are simply can't afford to hire students that require training. Most businesses are in the process of downscaling.

With market changes and specific company requirements, college goers and graduates are finding it more difficult to achieve their desired goals and many of them take an easier route or revert to unstable and situations which are not ideal. These are the future leaders of our world; many of them are packed with potential yet plagued by circumstances that seek to hinder them from achievement and well being.

This is not okay. We've got work to do.