Employment Challenges and Aspirations of Educated Youth: A Case Study of Shillong Town

Abstract

This paper attempts to provide an understanding into the challenges graduate young people face in their transition to employment, and it condenses survey discoveries about the aspirations of youth towards employment in Shillong town. Based on primary survey, the study takes into account the responses of youth having graduate level of education whose age group falls within the range of 20–34 years. It is found that youth unemployment is predominantly involuntary in nature and those who were previously employed, held jobs which are mostly on contractual basis. There is also a link between the type of education and job opportunities where those with “technical” education and those with postgraduate and above level of education have better job opportunities as they constitute the higher divisions of the occupational categories. High preference and dependency on salaried jobs in the government sector is prevalent among the respondents; however, their final aspiration is to acquire any job to sustain their livelihood. Additionally, there is a linkage between qualified job seekers and the role of the state as well as institutions.