We ladies can take a breather from bemoaning our other halves because, a new think-tank study has revealed that recently graduated men are falling behind their female counterparts on the work front.
The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) study shows that in December 2009 17.2 per cent of young male graduates were unemployed compared to 11.2 per cent of female graduates.
One problem seems to be that, unlike the girls, the guys are failing to knuckle down whilst in Higher Education. But do they need to when their sex has a clear advantage of the ladies? Their earning potential, over time, is far greater once in the market place.
The HEPI report says this is a discrepancy that needs further investigation but could be to do with “discrimination and subject choice”. It comments that “it might be as a result of different attitudes on the part of male and female graduates to jobs/life choices/nature of jobs applied for”. That’s all very good but what are we going to do about it?
The Evening Standard’s Richard Godwin and The Observer’s Will Hutton each consider what is behind the apparent lack of drive. A vaguely tongue-in-cheek Godwin highlights the need for affirmation – if men are told they’re useless often enough, they become useless (sound familiar?). He admits to sneaking a peak at Zoe Strimpel’s new book ‘What the Hell is He Thinking?: All the Questions You’ve Ever Asked About Men Answered’ , and calls for more understanding. After a raft of interviews with the less-than-fairer sex Ms Strimpel believes men find it harder than us to accept ageing, which is why they resist moving in with their lovers: “’Regardless of what age I am, mentally, my youth is now gone.”
Maybe their fear of growing up is behind their lack of motivation in higher education and the workplace; and it’s this lack of motivation Hutton suggests needs addressing.
It’s simple: they need encouragement and a positive economic environment (even though the current economic downturn and years of undermining haven’t stopped the girls forging ahead, but no matter) to revive their flagging futures.
Good grief! How about this – bring back National Service! I cannot believe I have written that – especially when I’m terrified of my boys ever being conscripted, and it’s being phased out in the EU as I type. National Service, which was brought in after World War 2 to try and tie-up loose ends in the after-math, ended in Britain in the Sixties. It was a bit like child birth, in the sense that everyone I’ve ever spoken to about it talked of it warmly, as an all-encompassing, unifying experience but if you look at the reaction at the time, National support had waned.
I had a friend who was born and bred in Britain but due to his Spanish ancestry he was required to head off to his homeland to endure his country’s military service. But he came back revived, more manly and incredibly self-sufficient. He didn’t have a particular direction beforehand but hasn’t stopped working. He was always pretty positive but now he’s almost invincible.
A pre-PM David Cameron revealed plans for a possible solution to our motivationally-challenged younger people, inspired by the post-war initiative, called eight-week National Citizens’ Scheme. I would have expected a negative response to such a suggestion but a recent Mori poll revealed eight out of 10 people support the initiative, which involves 16-year-olds doing six weeks of voluntary work. They’re split on whether the scheme should be voluntary or compulsory, but the concept gets a clear thumbs-up.
David Cameron set out the ‘national service’ plan for teens to put an end to a ‘pointless waste of potential’ and if it nips male (and female) reticence in the bud, it is a start. It’s also given certain kudos thanks to the backing of Hollywood A-lister Michael Caine!
I have never been, and refuse to become, one of those women who defames men as a sport and, as the mother of two boys, I never want to become one BUT if my boys end up wasting their opportunities, taking them for granted and expecting results for no input, I will find it hard to find verbal restraint.
You see guys resourcefulness is the key to respect and happiness long-term, so, guys, quit the whingeing and put motivation back on your ‘to do’ list, then maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourselves a job and… a mate!
I found this article really interesting – just this week a friend of mine who is currently recruiting was comparing the quality of recent graduate CV’s – all of the female applicants were above and beyond any one of the males. He was surprised at such a clear divide in CV quality across so many people, but maybe this echoes the HEPI study results?
Thanks for a great article.