Young People Are Struggling in Southeast Asia Too
Social media is a potent feeder of frustrations.
In Southeast Asia, youth unemployment is a growing concern, particularly in Vietnam where 11.2 percent of the 15-24 age group is unemployed, an increase of 195,000. This figure is higher than in Indonesia (21.5 percent), Thailand (12.9 percent), and the Philippines (12.7 percent). Only Singapore has a lower youth unemployment rate at 9.2 percent.
The situation appears worse for young people with university degrees, as many end up in low-productivity sectors like agriculture and restaurants. In Indonesia, informal employment among educated workers is rising. In Thailand, high-quality job creation has declined since 2021, leading some workers to return to family farms. Despite Malaysia's strong growth in high-skill jobs, it has failed to keep pace with the number of people with tertiary education.
Vietnam is experiencing a gig economy, with graduates working as delivery drivers, while some construction jobs remain unfilled.
This issue of youth unemployment and underemployment is not unique to Southeast Asia. Across Asia, young people are struggling to find jobs. The World Bank predicts that by 2030, emerging economies will need to generate approximately 420 million jobs, but around 1.2 billion young people will enter the job market. Artificial intelligence could exacerbate the problem, as AI adoption drives growth in electronics sectors but may also contribute to graduate unemployment due to skills mismatches.
Sectors benefiting from AI, such as engineering, software, and advanced manufacturing, are struggling to fill positions requiring advanced qualifications.
Written by urgent.news from Foreign Policy's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
