Lack of financial resources, education and career guidance, challenges facing young people in Romania

The lack of financial resources and education in thi field, the lack of motivation and counseling in career, as well as fluctuating emotional states are the main challenges facing young people in Romania today, a year after the beginning of pandemic, according to data of the latest national study Insights PulseZ.   According to a press release, the study “Insights PulseZ”, now at the second edition, was conceived and coordinated by specialists of the national programs “I want to be entrepreneur” and “Insights”, within the organization Romanian Business Leaders, and made by the market study agency IZI data in July, 2021 among 1,200 young people in Romania.   The study focused on states, behavior, interests and wishes of young people in Romania, in the new pandemic context, members of Z generation (born after 1995, known as iGeneration, Centennials or “digital natives”), in July 2021, compared to 2020 (May-June 2020, at the first edition of the study).   “Z generation is considered to be the first born at a time when the Internet and new technologies are available on a large scale, the young people being extremely connected to the digital world and avid consumers of social media. Companies, organizations and authorities refer to their preferences when building business strategies,” said Alin Claudiu Apostu, coordinator of the Insights study and project manager of the national programs “Insights” and “I want to be an entrepreneur”. In his turn, Slivia Luican, the founder of IZI data, pointed out that those who do not take into account the Z generation, do not mold after them, will become unadapted sooner than expected.   A year and a half since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, young people of the Z generation in Romania confess they feel more tired (50% in 2021 versus 34% in 2020), that they face fluctuating emotional states (49% in 2021 vs. 37% in 2020), and with periods of uncertainty about times to come, also considering the present tensions in the personal and professional areas (32% in 2021 vs 26% in 2020).   At the same time, data show that in 2021 young people feel shortages in Romanian society more than a year ago. The most important of shortages mentioned by representatives of Z generation are financial resources (77% in 2021 vs 59% in 2020), followed by the lack of career counseling (59% in 2021 vs 47% in 2020), as well as the question of bureaucracy and the lack of digitization (55% in 2021 vs 32% in 2020), the lack of moral support from people close to them (50% in 2021 vs 34% in 2020) and last but not least, the lack of access to informal learning programs – classes, leadership programs (48% in 2021 vs 37% in 2020).   Thus, if personal organization (time management, personal productivity) hold pride of place among preferences (60%) in 2021, the need of financial education and investments grows significantly, becoming first among young people's needs (60% in 2021 vs 51% in 2020).   According to the study, while girls mention mainly the need to learn and manage emotions better ( 66% girls vs 40% boys), boys mention more often financial education (64% boys vs 29% girls) and team work (30% boys vs 21% girls). As for young people's professional plans, one out of three respondents of Z generation say they plan to find employment in Romania, while 21% of them consider continuing their studies in this country. Only 12% of participants in the study declare they want to work abroad and as many intend to open a business.   “Insights PulseZ” study, the second edition, was made in July 2021 on a sample of 1,186 respondents, aged between 18 and 24 , being representative at national level in point of sex, region and urban-rural area distribution.