Despite positive signs in the Irish economy and jobs market, more than half of Irish second-level students are worried about their job prospects. In addition, Ireland’s young people are anxious about their financial futures and their ability to buy a home in Ireland.
A new survey has revealed that 56 percent of second-level students in Ireland believe that they will have to emigrate; 52 percent said they thought it unlikely they would be able to purchase a home in Ireland; and 50 percent said that they doubt they will be able to find employment in the country.
The figures are at odds with a recent report from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which found that job prospects for graduates are currently better than at any time since the economic crash. According to the HEA, 58 percent of university graduates with an honours bachelors degree are going immediately entering employment, either in Ireland or overseas. This is up from 51 percent last year.
Cost of living, high rents and job prospects
In addition to job prospects, other areas of growing concern for second-level students are the cost of living and high rents. Rents, in particular, impact students, with many choosing their third-level institution based on rent prices. Over a third of second-level students have said that Dublin’s high rents and cost of living make attending university in the capital financially impossible.
The survey also found that secondary school students are politically disillusioned. The majority believe that their local TDs are only "out for themselves".