Spain: No Country For the Young?

YEAR MAGNET MILLION TALK EXPLOITED 263 ENOUGH SCARCE YOUTH CRUCIAL TODAY GRADUATE CLEAR USEFUL

   During the last 10 ___ booming Spain was a ___ for immigrants, attracting 5 ___ foreigners. Now Spaniards are ___ of a return to ___ mass emigration of 1960s, ___ 2 million left looking ___ jobs in northern Europe. “___ only see jobs for ___ interns who earn €300 (£___) a month. That’s barely ___ to cover the costs ___ getting to work and ___ every day,” said Luna, ___ Spanish graduate. “Opportunities are ___ in a country with ___ unemployment over 40% .”

   The ___ difference between those leaving ___ and the manual labourers ___ sought work in Germany ___ the 1960s is that ___’s emigrants are mostly young ___. It is no longer ___ that a degree is ___ in Spain’s paralysed job market. Unemployment among graduates aged 29 or under is running at 19%, almost the same as the national average for all age groups, regardless of education.

   Many graduates lie about their education when applying for work, worried that they will be rejected for being overqualified. And 44% of those who find work do so at below their skills level, twice the European average. The contrast with booming Germany, which is short of 48,000 engineers, could not be greater. Those graduates who have left say that opportunities are far more plentiful abroad. “Salaries, working hours, conditions and opportunities to advance in your career are far greater here,” said 28-year-old Paula, who left Valencia five years ago and is now an IT consultant in Edinburgh.

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Have fun....and take care! 248 JUN-B-2011