The dilemma of training, high job requirements and low wages

Daniela Fonseca, Colombia

In Colombia unemployment is quite a serious problem, the lack of formal job opportunities afflicts a large part of the population, especially young people who are starting their working life. According to figures from the DANE or National Administrative Department of Statistics (In Spanish, Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadísticas), by August 2020 the unemployment rate of the young population stood at 27.9%, which was also a consequence of the pandemic and the economic crisis.

The need is enough, the opportunities are few, most jobs require having an academic degree in higher education, but access to this is limited, and it is these same jobs in which the remuneration goes from the minimum wage, that is $ 877,803 ( $ 227.41 approximately), up to $ 1,900,000 ($ 492.22), this being a significant problem for youth because the effort and cost of studies often do not compare with the salary. On the other hand, there is the problem of experience, for most jobs certification of some previous job is required, but the opportunities for a first job are few, many times experience of years is requested from young people who do not exceed 30, with salaries not in accordance with strict requirements, which is why many times there are unattainable jobs and the inequality gap and the unemployment rate grows more.

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