Thursday 10 February 2011

MONEY MUST BE FUNNY IN A RICH MAN'S WORLD

What a hectic Monday ! a quick 7am stumble out of bed to an excruciating snoozefest of a lecture, to an equally dull seminar, met with a pile of admin work on my desk at the internship, to a skype US conference call about another placement, and before you know it im taking the bus to a group recruitment meeting at Ted Baker !!!!!

What happened to the days where you could get a degree at a decent enough university, to then get employed at a satisfying position that will allow you (with enough work and time) to climb the career ladder. Unfortunately, times have changed and the future seems very bleak for us youngsters. With youth unemployment at its highest it has ever been in years, this climb to the top seems to be a long and winding never ending mount up the Burj Khalifa.

With the current economic climate, the rise in student tuition, the cuts in public spending, has fuelled the need for university students to go that 'extra mile' to boost their candidacy for employment with more and more work experience, placements, exchange programs, all the while trying to maintain a decent 2.2, 2.1, 1st degree.  More importantly, this 'project' of oneself must start before entering university so that's basically the system telling us that if you're one of the many who aren't necessarily sure what they want to be doing for the rest of their lives from the age of 16 you're screwed.

If companies are using cheap, unpaid labour to get more work done, in return for hope of interns getting that 'big break' - sounds like a win -win situation, no?

There is that arguement that says that although these opportunities given (and I am not complaining!) are all well and good, you can't help but question just how much is this another way of 'exploitation?' by companies who are taking advantage of the situation because, frankly speaking, they can.

Yes, you cant pay your rent with 'opportunities' but that's capitalism for you. Hate it or love it, it is the only way forward in my opinion. You can fold your arms and sulk in self-pity or you can do something about it. And hopefully with enough blood, sweat and naive optimism, we find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Just like that Italian joke-  A poor man who goes to church every day and prays before the statue of a great saint begging: "Dear saint, please, please, please... Give me the grace to win the lottery." This lament goes on for months. Finally the exasperated statue comes to life, looks down at the begging m...an and says in weary disgust: "My son, please, please, please... Buy a ticket." ~ Eat Pray Love


Mmm I would not say no to one of those Neapolitan pizzas right now.

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