Thursday 6 October 2011

Why just Students?

I am taking a risk. I am most probably about to alienate myself from the very few loyal readers that I have (and I do like you all very much).
However I have been bothered in the last week because there are barriers that are preventing me from taking steps forward, all because of a tag I lost just over a year ago; the student tag.

Now let me start with a disclaimer, I am not student bashing. If we're being honest there is a lot of people to do that for me. In all seriousness, a lot of my really good friend are students, and I was once a student myself.
I was recently in Lexington, Virginia where I learnt that around 50 students had been arrested by the local police within a week. Their crime? Having a good time and maybe a couple of drinks. Disgusting. I feel that students should get the respect they deserve.
However my point is that employers and companies will go out of their way to talk to you if you are student, but it seems if you are graduate who isn't fresh and wide-eyed out of university they are not interested in you or your skills!
For example, this week I tried to apply for the BBC on a trainee scheme, I got shunned because I already had a qualification in journalism.
Secondly, I wanted to enter a competition to write in the I newspaper. Unfortunately that competition was only open to students. The editor, Stefano Hatfield, when asked to explain said: "We are looking for fresh young talent from students — in part because we hear the voices of older generations constantly, in part because we believe it’s a lot harder being a student today than it has been in decades, and partly because we believe young people need a bit of a break right now."
Am I part of an older generation? I would like to think at 22 I am still in touch with the student world.
Its a lot harder to be a student these days? I would say its a lot harder being a graduate. A student has endless streams of support links, loans, grants and most of all an over-riding sense of purpose. Many of the graduates I know are making a living doing the same job they did at university, on the dole, or trying anything to get a bit of cash here and there, very few are flying high in the careers they were promised when they enrolled in freshers week. Yet, even if those people are striving to better themselves, they are tagged as lazy, or they lack ambition, or they are frankly just scum.
The only bit I agree with is that young people need a bit of break right now, and yes we do. Not just the students part though, I would say young people are 18-25, so what about the unemployed graduate? Why can't they enter? What about the electricians apprentice who enjoys to write? Why can't he have a go?
Limiting it to just students is cutting yourself off from other talented young writers that maybe out there, but because they may have just finished university or because they chose not to go in the first place, should not be a stumbling block; if anything they should be encouraged for trying to better, or at least create purpose and get a start in their life.
Anyway I decided to stick it to the man! I entered anyway. Probably won't get a look in though because, lets face it, I am just not studious enough.

No comments:

Post a Comment