Are you part of the NEET Generation?

A friend shared a story about a fresh graduate from local college. This young man are seeking for a job. After many months, he has attended several interviews. Despite being offered a job a few times, he turned down every employment offer.

It is quite shocking when I learn the truth. He told my friend,”The highest offer I get so far is RM2000/month salary. If I started working, I will get RM2000. But now, my dad is paying me RM1800/month when I am still looking for a job. Why in a hurry?”

NOT IN EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, or TRAINING (NEET). This is the new way of some youngsters living their lives.

A report by the Social Exclusion Unit in UK found that at any one time, 161,000, or 9%, of the age group [16-19] are outside of education, training and work for long periods after the school-leaving age of 16.

In Japan, there is no NEET until 1997. But when many young people have become so wealthy to have to work, there is no reason for them to work. Is this a problem or a bless? But in the UK, the NEET group mainly consists of the lower socio-economic people.

What is NEET Generation?

According to Wikipedia,

NEET is a government classification, first used in the United Kingdom but whose use has spread to other countries, including Japan, China and South Korea. The classification is “Not currently engaged in Employment, Education or Training“.

Why there is NEET?

1. Jobs are not well paid
Due to the globalization and job outsourcing, the salary increment doesn’t seem to cope with inflation. Most employees leave their companies due to job dissatisfaction, office politic and mainly because of the salary. But of course, the younger generation nowadays are unlike the old days. Job is supposed to be easy, fun, and well-paid. Since you are not likely to find this kind of job, you will hop from one place to the others.

2. College degrees don’t give young people the head start
I still remembered the story published on the local newspaper – a university graduate had to help his parents selling fried banana because she just couldn’t land a decent job.

3. High education loan and consumer debt
Money may not solve every problem. This is especially true to those who don’t know how to control the power of money. The fresh graduates today have to face the financial trouble of getting a car to work, while worrying about the monthly debt repayment of study loan and credit cards.

4. Big sponsorship from parents
Too much pampering, non-stop financial aid, and the lack of financial education have demolish their will to be independent.

Remember, you are a NEET when you are not engaged in employment, in education, or in training.
All these had led to the born of a new social group, called Freeters.

The FREETERS

Freeters are young people who deliberately chose not to engage in regular work, despite the large number of job vacancies. The word is a combination of “free” with the German word for worker, “arbeiter”. These young freeters hop through a series of temporary job. They can be categorized into different group

• tarrying type – those who desire freedom and flexibility
• dream-chasing type – those who attach importance to doing what they want to do
• no-choice type – those who are yet to find their desired job
• the parasite freeters – who prefer to live under the sponsorship of their parents.

Are you a NEET?

Once upon the time, my parents thought that I am a NEET indeed. During 2000-2001, I was a fresh graduate with a degree in engineering, but working as a musician instead. I think they misunderstand that because I treat myself as self-employed.

Do you know someone who is a neet? Share with us in the comment.

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