‘Hundreds of job applications’: young people on their struggle to find work

Catherina, 24, in Brighton When Catherina finished her degree in digital film production in London, she thought her prospects of finding work were good, but she has found the jobs market tough. “I was coming out of uni very expectant and hopeful, but then I was facing a very competitive industry,” she said. “I was always hearing nothing back.” She has produced a few short films that have been shown at festivals and found occasional work on film and TV productions as a runner – a job generally seen as the first rung on the ladder of the industry. But finding more than that has been tricky. She said she had believed if she put in the work she would reap the rewards. “It was ‘work ethic, do the hustle and it will pay off one day’.” She said she was “blessed” to be able to live with her parents while she looked for permanent work, but said she would “love” to have her own income. “Looking to the future gives me anxiety,” she said, adding that she had taken comfort from her Christian faith and the support of her church community. “I have so much compassion if someone is going through something alone,” she said. She has also benefited from coaching from Spear, a youth employment charity. It gave her a year’s one-to-one advice and preparation, and helped her to remain hopeful of finding the right job. “It helped me face those mental, practical, emotional struggles head on,” she said. …