A structural analysis of precariousness in generation Z
The demographic cohort known as generation Z, between 15 and 29 years of age, faces a socioeconomic reality characterized by a critical intersection between job instability and an insufficient educational level. The data, far from being anecdotal, reveal a systemic pattern. According to research conducted by the Youth Alliance with Decent Work, approximately 32% of individuals in this age range, which translates into 11 million young people, experience monetary poverty. At the same time, more than 10 million work in jobs considered precarious, establishing a direct correlation between informality and the inability to generate sufficient income.
Quantitative findings on employment and living conditions
The study titled “Young Opportunity in Generation Z” diagnoses a situation where new generations are unable to enter the formal labor market, access teleworking or build a professional career. The educational obstacle is fundamental: there is a generalized academic lag, with a significant proportion that does not complete upper secondary education. Of the 15.4 million young people of this generation who are already working, 60% (9.3 million) receive a salary below the poverty line, unable to afford two basic baskets. In addition, 9.4 million completely lack access to public health and social protection services, a direct consequence of labor informality. The contrast is evident when observing that only 3.4 million are employed in large or medium-sized corporations or in public administration.
The vicious circle between poverty and school dropouts
The analysis shows an early school dropout that becomes more pronounced after the age of 15. Almost half (49%) of young people of high school age (16 to 21 years) no longer attend any educational center. In a broader spectrum (15 to 29 years old), 27% present educational lag. Segmentation by age deepens the diagnosis: at age 28, only 27 out of every 100 young people completed a university degree. Three-quarters do not have higher education and nearly half did not finish high school. This condition is closely linked to socioeconomic level: while 91% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 in high-income homes remain in the educational system, only 56% of those in low-income homes do so, thus perpetuating a cycle of inequality of opportunities.
Strategic proposals for a comprehensive intervention
Faced with this scenario, the Youth Alliance with Decent Work proposes a set of public policy measures aimed at productive inclusion. The first line of action consists of revaluing and modernizing the technical baccalaureates under a dual training model, which combines academic instruction with practical experience, developing competencies aligned with the demands of the contemporary economic sector. For young people already in a situation of backwardness, flexible educational alternatives are proposed that integrate technical training, development of socio-emotional skills, empowerment and leadership.
Complementarily, it is suggested to implement a national first job strategy that guarantees safe training spaces and supervised work experience. Another key proposal is the expansion of public care services (child care centers, full-time schools, rehabilitation programs), which would free many young people, especially women, from domestic responsibilities and allow them to continue their training or seek employment. The culminating proposal is the guarantee of full compliance with fundamental labor rights, combating informality, poverty wages and the lack of stable contracts, to build a fairer and more protected youth labor market.
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