Four ways to get young people ready to work

Around the globe, countries, companies, and parents are taxing their creative powers to come up with a solution for integrating young people into the workplace. What do we do with them? The answer is not simple.{{more}}

Young people cannot educate themselves. 

Our society has created a generation of youth that is not ready to work. We have not done our share of showing them a positive work ethic, instilling a respect for authority or teaching usable skills.  And that makes the thought of them entering the workplace a scary proposition for many employers.  Unfortunately, becoming aware of the fact is not helping the situation: companies are still slow to engage and educate young people at an early age.

Challenge them. 

Many young people are waiting for an opportunity to be challenged.  Under the tough exterior and big talk are little people who were exposed to many grown-up concepts at too early an age.  Still, many youth employment programmes are experiencing success in their fights against some of the biggest huddles—fear, impatience, and lack of creativity.  Adults are scared that the young people are hopeless and do not want to take a chance on them. We have to realize that they are not all bad. 

Be patient and train young people the way you want them.  Employers tend to be impatient with youths.  But they will learn if we are patient with them. Yes, your patience will run thin at times, but that’s okay.  Many of today’s youth have not grown up with manners and the same behavioural expectation that we had, and they have not had “the village” to help show them right from wrong.  So, train them and hold them to a higher expectation than what they are accustomed to.  Yes, some will leave after you train them, but that is a cost of doing any business.

Get creative. 

This generation is used to a fast-paced, highly interactive world, and if your place of employment is traditionally based, maybe it’s time to think of ways to spice it up.  Don’t be afraid to ask your young employees for suggestions.  They can think and reason when given the opportunity to do so.  This generation has so much to offer, but we need to be prepared to nurture them and allow them to demonstrate their capabilities. 

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