Peter Vogel's Blog
March 27, 2015
Solving Youth Unemployment
‘Generation Jobless?’ uniquely explores the characteristics of both today's and tomorrow's youth and the causes of the youth unemployment crisis. The book takes a global, multi-stakeholder perspective to showcase proven solutions to tackle the crisis. Featuring interviews and input from business leaders, policy makers, educators, entrepreneurs and the Next Generation itself, it offers a positive and constructive look at change by directing each group to become part of the solution and in particular youth to take on responsibility for themselves and their peers by turning into job creators rather than job seekers.
Since the onset of the recent financial crisis and the associated increase in unemployment and in particular youth unemployment, there has been a strong increase in public attention with leading labor market organizations such as the ILO as well as policymakers devoting a lot of capacity to come up with viable solutions. Likewise, some of the largest employers in the world have started implementing novel youth employment schemes. However, there are many more initiatives out there that are overlooked despite being promising solutions to the crisis. We, the general population, are left exposed to media releases that underscore the severity of the crisis, the hopelessness of young people in Spain, Greece, the MENA region, South Africa, among many other places and the threat of a “Generation Jobless” if we do not act quickly.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of debates end at this point leaving the reader and the majority of individuals in a rather uncomfortable position, simply because they mostly do not go beyond the statement of the problem and the assessment of its causes, without proposing specific solutions. Furthermore, those potential solutions that are being discussed behind closed doors of policymakers rarely pass through to the public. I believe that by now we have developed a pretty good sense for the drivers of the crisis but still lack substantial knowledge about how to solve it. This is where we need to go next and that is also the purpose of this book.
The book leverages the wisdom of the crowd and takes a multi-stakeholder approach to collect and discuss solutions from around the world. Following the description and assessment of these solutions we develop a better understanding for what it takes to replicate them elsewhere to generate the biggest possible impact.
“Generation Jobless? is a wonderful read and primer for anyone who cares to make a difference. Truly the best work I have read on the youth labor market crisis – and a personal invitation to each and everyone of us to take part in solving the crisis for our children.” Carsten Sudhoff, Founder and CEO Circular Society AG
You can order the book here.
Find me on Twitter
Generation Jobless?: Turning the youth unemployment crisis into opportunity
Since the onset of the recent financial crisis and the associated increase in unemployment and in particular youth unemployment, there has been a strong increase in public attention with leading labor market organizations such as the ILO as well as policymakers devoting a lot of capacity to come up with viable solutions. Likewise, some of the largest employers in the world have started implementing novel youth employment schemes. However, there are many more initiatives out there that are overlooked despite being promising solutions to the crisis. We, the general population, are left exposed to media releases that underscore the severity of the crisis, the hopelessness of young people in Spain, Greece, the MENA region, South Africa, among many other places and the threat of a “Generation Jobless” if we do not act quickly.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of debates end at this point leaving the reader and the majority of individuals in a rather uncomfortable position, simply because they mostly do not go beyond the statement of the problem and the assessment of its causes, without proposing specific solutions. Furthermore, those potential solutions that are being discussed behind closed doors of policymakers rarely pass through to the public. I believe that by now we have developed a pretty good sense for the drivers of the crisis but still lack substantial knowledge about how to solve it. This is where we need to go next and that is also the purpose of this book.
The book leverages the wisdom of the crowd and takes a multi-stakeholder approach to collect and discuss solutions from around the world. Following the description and assessment of these solutions we develop a better understanding for what it takes to replicate them elsewhere to generate the biggest possible impact.
“Generation Jobless? is a wonderful read and primer for anyone who cares to make a difference. Truly the best work I have read on the youth labor market crisis – and a personal invitation to each and everyone of us to take part in solving the crisis for our children.” Carsten Sudhoff, Founder and CEO Circular Society AG
You can order the book here.
Find me on Twitter
Generation Jobless?: Turning the youth unemployment crisis into opportunity
