Are we ‘the worst generation’?

June 4, 2014 | Young Voices
Rachel Bergen | Young Voices Co-editor

Just a few days ago I graduated with a master’s degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC). My future? It’s a terrifying thought.

The past two years of my life were planned and I liked it that way. In 2012, I began attending the UBC Graduate School of Journalism, a small program with about 30 people per class. The professors—all veterans in the business, with impressive résumés—were dedicated and supportive, and my class was a cohesive, tight-knit group. I spent my days studying, writing and, more recently, working on my thesis.

Today, I don’t have classes, assignments or thesis work to complete, and I don’t know what to do with myself.

I pictured these days after graduation differently when I began grad school. I imagined employers would be impressed by my month-long newsroom internships and educational background.

Newsflash: They aren’t.

I wasn’t deluded, but I was definitely optimistic about my chances of working in my field. Unfortunately, I’ve been out of classes for weeks now and I’m not gainfully employed full-time in a media newsroom working alongside Peter Mansbridge, nor am I likely to be, at least not anytime soon.

Many millennials are facing similar uncertainty with their futures. Our generation is more educated than ever and many employers are now hiring college and university graduates for jobs that used to only require a high-school diploma.

Therefore, many graduates are settling for jobs that haven’t traditionally required the level of training they’ve attained. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there for the higher-tier jobs.

I’m lucky—and happy—to be employed part-time in my field by Canadian Mennonite, but my financial situation is nowhere near where it needs to be to live in Vancouver. I have to take freelance marketing jobs promoting products and other odd jobs to pay my bills. By 25, previous generations often owned homes and cars. For me, that seems like a far-off dream.

This is the case for the bulk of my classmates, including those who graduated from the UBC journalism program last year. In fact, several people I graduated with founded a media start-up called WORST: Required Reading for the Worst Generation, for something to do while they search—sometimes fruitlessly—for work.

I used to think that a degree, some drive and determination would land me a journalism job. Turns out even a master’s degree doesn’t guarantee you a job, even if you get good grades, make it a point to get along with your professors, hand in all your assignments on time and attend every class.

All right, that was depressing.

I confess that I’m rather downcast about my situation in life right now, but I need to check my privilege. I work part-time in my field, I’ve attended two universities at which I’ve met lifelong friends, and I’m debt-free.

I need to recalibrate and get creative. The journalism landscape is changing rapidly and I can’t expect to have the dream job I envisioned five years ago. That job is already completely different than what I imagined.

Some things do stay the same. I believe that fair, balanced, gutsy journalism is a pillar of democracy. I also believe there’s a job for me where I can contribute to the journalism landscape, advocate for truth and hold those in power to account.

Maybe it’s just different from the job I envisioned for myself. Maybe the same is true for the other young adults who are struggling.

Stay positive, fellow millennials. We won’t make any progress if we get in our own way.

--Posted June 4, 2014

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