While Private Education Thrives, Youth Unemployment May Turn State Schools Into Glorified Job Centres

PITCH: WORKING TITLE: With Youth Unemployment at a record high, the Education institutions should be encouraging students to consider freelancing more.

The coronavirus has led to soaring heights in Youth Unemployment in the UK. Traditionally, in education, full-time employment is usually encouraged and less attention is given to teaching students about self-employment methods like freelancing – which can actually have uncapped potential to earn money.

In a time where companies are less likely to take on interns and full-time employees for jobs, freelancing can be a great medium for students to start building their careers. I’ve been freelancing for almost 2 years now (next month will mark this). After leaving university I found it difficult to find full-time, or even part-time PAYE jobs for writing, which is what I always wanted to do.

However, I did discover a few freelance gigs that allowed me to get some income instead, and over time I was able to make a living from freelancing alone. Not many schools or even universities teach about self-employment options unless the institution specialises in this field. The Princes Trust have launched a campaign in response to youth unemployment in the pandemic and part of this is encouraging people to consider self-employment.

I personally think, freelancing, specifically, is a good option as it’s a safer option for businesses to take on a freelancer than a full-­time employee at this time and there are benefits to freelancing too from the young person’s viewpoint because there is flexibility in choosing what you want to do work on and you can also set your own rates.

I would like to write a piece explaining why freelancing should be encouraged more in educational institutions, especially at a time like this, but also generally as the face of the future of work is changing and favouring remote work, which is something freelancing inherently allows.