The IEC Catalyst , June 2010 |
What do Employers think about Employing Youth?
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The Hamilton Training Advisory Board (HTAB) recently released a report entitled ‘Realities and Possibilities’, surveying employers in Hamilton about their experiences and thoughts on youth employment.
The result of the survey indicates that ‘82% of employers had good or excellent experience recruiting, hiring and retaining employees in general but only slightly more than 60% reported they were successful or very successful at recruiting youth’
Among the 30% of employers who foresee human resource shortages in the next five years, ‘about 75% said these shortages would be significant or very significant and more than 70% indicated that recruitment of youth was very important or important in responding to these anticipated shortages.’
The report also documented that many employers don’t target youth in their hiring process and the majority of the recruitment methods they use mostly ‘may not be overly youth-friendly’. Social networking and job fairs, which are more youth-friendly recruitment channels, were the least used by the employers.
Employers value some attributes that youth may bring to the workplace, including ‘energy and enthusiasm, new ideas/perspectives/creativity, and, technical skills’ and worry about challenges with youth like ‘work habits, attitude and lack of experience’.
The study also noted some differences in workplace expectations by youth and employers, comparing the results of this survey with a previous survey conducted by the HTAB entitled ‘Dreams and Expectations: a Report on Conversation with Hamilton Youth on Work and Careers.’
For instance, salary and benefits were sited as critical factors for youth in choosing a workplace and this was understood by the employers as ‘unrealistic expectations and, in the extreme, as an attitude of entitlement’. Youth value flexibility and the employers view this as an indication for being ‘unreliable’. Youth prefer to work independently, but the employers think that youth needs ‘additional direction and are insufficiently proactive, both necessary for effective independent work’
The report provides recommendations in bridging this gap, including improving high school career planning programs and increasing mentoring opportunities for the youth. The roles of the Youth Employment Network, IEC, HTAB and of course the employers in the city, are noted as critical in facilitating smoother integration of youth into the workplace
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