I’m a trainee car mechanic, but my manager at work doesn’t care about training me. Instead, he uses me as a general worker for all kinds of tasks. I’ve noticed that many people from my generation who are trying to enter the job market are facing the same issue. Companies no longer prioritize fresh graduates; they want people with senior-level experience, yet they offer little to no pay and still classify these roles as entry-level jobs.
What would you advise me to do? I live in a European country where, as you know, qualifications and paperwork are highly valued. Without formal certificates, a person is often seen as having little worth, even if they have practical experience. I feel trapped and exploited by the system, and I genuinely want to improve myself, but it feels like the system—especially after COVID—has been unfair to my generation. I’m part of Generation Z.