Youth Employment, Education in Russia Drops During Pandemic

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The number of young individuals employed in Russia is dropping, which may be explained by demographic trends and the willingness of some young people to put off looking for work. Employment is not necessarily delayed due to the pursuit of an education; in fact, up to 30% of young people are not enrolled in any program, TASS reports, citing Nezavismaya Gazeta.

The coronavirus outbreak brought up its own set of adjustments. The first wave’s shock reduced the need for young specialists. Then something else happened: the number of job vacancies for young people has nearly doubled throughout the country.

According to HeadHunter (HH), there are currently seven candidates for each empty post that does not require prior experience, up from 14 a year ago. Only approximately 17% of people employed in Russia are between the ages of 15 and 29. If just individuals in their twenties are included, the percentage rises to around 16.5 percent.

During the epidemic, the job market was thrown into disarray, hurting the career prospects of young people. According to Hays International Recruitment, adolescent hiring will fall by 9% globally in 2020, whereas the decline in the “adult” category would be just 4%.

Young individuals, on the other hand, tended to work in the industries most affected by the epidemic, including as retail and the hotel industry. Frequently, these were contract-free or part-time positions.