Graduate unemployment

The pandemic, an economic downturn and the cost of living crisis have all taken their toll on the global job market. In China, millions of young people are struggling to find a job and in India 42% of graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed.

Host James Reynolds hears from graduates from India, the United States, Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana who either can’t find work or have changed direction from what they studied in order to find success, be it from English via waitressing to financial education, or economics to fashion.

These are stories about resilience and overcoming rejection, with many companies not even responding to job applications.

23-year-old Priyanka, from India, lives in the UK after obtaining her degree and then her Masters in London in 2022. She recently signed up with a graduate coach to improve her chances of employment.

“I’ve probably had, out of 800 applications, maybe five interviews so far,” Priyanka says, “So it’s a very, very tough market for an entry level candidate.”

A Boffin Media production in partnership with the BBC OS team.

(Photo: Graduate Awurama Kena-Asiedu who struggled to find employment before starting her own business. Credit: Awurama Kena-Asied)