Obstacles encountered by the companies acting for Youth inclusion / retention

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Thanks to the participation of the companies, the YIN has identified three main problems the Youth and corporate actors encounter.

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1 - Lack of training

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On the one hand, in several situations which led to resignation, the Youth felt a lack of guidelines, were lost about the tasks they were supposed to do or the process to execute them properly. Without the identification of a clear mentor, Youth  may feel too intimidated to ask for guidelines or support. It may be difficult for them to understand the organisation and hierarchy when encountering issues, especially if the company is a large structure and if the manager is not available.

 

On the other hand, Youth may lack basic skills for jobs (communication, interpersonal skills, coordination, leadership, etc).

 

Guidance, at the same time for the Youth and the companies, represents a key to start acting.

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2 - Misunderstanding of expectations

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Youth can feel uncomfortable due to a misunderstanding of the level of exigence, how they should behave, accomplish a task ,...

 

Youth first need to understand future jobs, because of digitalisation and globalisation. As an illustration, during the ongoing crisis IT has generated a lot of jobs. It is time to develop the basic skills of the Youth in these fields, before their inclusion in companies and during their first professional experience.

 

Second, companies must trust the Youth and give them opportunities, in a clear way. Setting basic expectations will motivate the Youth to do better and fulfill their tasks.

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3- Exclusion

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We need to remember that Youth coming from NGOs possess a difficult background, and may not have at their disposal the necessary means to integrate a job. Be it because of lack of transportation, financial difficulties, family issues, or any other external/internal factor, Youth will have to overcome numerous issues to reach their job. There is also a gap between Youth from rural and urban areas, who do not have access to the same opportunities.

 

Once they have an internship or job, they can also be excluded within the company: stigmatised, put aside of the team, or see a breach of their  hiring terms (salary delivered, working time, etc). These conditions only increase their exclusion.

 

YIN Members also consider that excluded Youth are facing more obstacles in finding a job due to:

• The current economic and social situation that leads to fewer job opportunities and more competition

• The social bias the recruiter and teams might have regarding these Youth 

• The lack of representation that asks Youth to prove their value more than others. 

• The lack of confidence in skills, and associated interpretations or conclusions

• The lack of network and experience: Lack of education, knowledge (both practical and technical) and professional experience that make it more difficult for the youth to have proper resume and cover letter, master a job interview and get integrated into companies.

• Difficulties of mobility and access to IT. 

 

However, companies are optimistic, valuing Youth profiles, understanding that finding a job is difficult, but even more challenging for excluded Youth.