Times have changed
Young people are finding it harder to find employment. Many have parents who have been displaced after careers with large corporations. They are reluctant to trust their futures to similar corporations, knowing that a lifetime of commitment could lead to the unemployment line. Some of these young people prefer the option of self-reliance so they can feel more in control of their own futures.
A dream delayed
Erin Bartolome held several office administrative positions before a photography job inspired her enough to pursue an education in digital arts and design. Since she had waited until age twenty-four to start college she felt pretty confident in her ability to choose a career. The financial aid office where she attended school assured her that positions would be available with a salary range of $60,000 - $80,000 once she obtained her degree.
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2009 with over $80,000 in student loan debt, and spent the next two years trying to find employment in her field to no avail. ... Her credit rating has been destroyed due to her student loans, and she compares the financial aid officers that encouraged her to amass this debt to used car salesmen.
She says, “They encouraged me to continue taking out loans with no emphasis on the amount of debt I would have upon graduation, and they continued to mislead me about the type of employment opportunities that existed in my field.”
After two years of unsuccessful job searches she finally accepted part-time employment in an office administrative position performing the same type of duties that she did prior to obtaining her bachelor’s degree in digital arts and design. She continues to pursue her photography and design, however, and each weekend travels to arts and crafts shows where she sells her photographs and hand-crafted jewelry. As an entrepreneur she has managed to create an outlet for her products that she could not find through employment.
Entrepreneur... the new buzz word
We need shops, farmers, bakeries, and craftsmen who can create quality products made with pride....
read the entire article in the June issue of South Coast Insider
