Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
PORTUGAL / YOUTH JOBS MIGRATION
STORY: PORTUGAL / YOUTH JOBS MIGRATION
TRT: 3.28
SOURCE: ILO / EUROPEAN COMMISSION
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: PORTUGUESE / NATS
DATELINE: 8 AUGUST 2013, LISBON, PORTUGAL
1.Various shots, Ana Morgado (27 years of age) descends the stairs in downtown Lisbon
FILE – EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DATE UNKNOW
2. Various shots, students walk from university exit (EC images)
8 AUGUST 2013, LISBON, PORTUGAL
3. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Ana Morgado, Unemployed University Graduate:
“People are more and more bitter, more mistrustful and rebellious. Sometimes I wonder what’s going to happen when things get even worse. I’m afraid of social unrest because so many young people are so angry.”
FILE –ILO, 14 NOVEMBER 2012, PORTUGAL
4. Various shots, protestors young and old in Lisbon downtown, holding signs
8 AUGUST 2013, LISBON, PORTUGAL
5. Various shots, young woman at employment centre walks in to receive ticket, receives help from employment officer
6. Med shot, young men search for job opportunities on the computer
7. Med shot, young girl searches for job opportunities on the computer
6. Various shots, Eduardo Freitas (26 years of age) walking
7. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Eduardo Freitas/Unemployed University Graduate:
“In Portugal people thought if you had a higher education, you could be someone, have a career. I think all this has disappeared. People with a higher education have to emigrate.”
8. Wide shot, street scenes with traffic
9. Wide shot, an avenue with cars passing by
FILE – EUROPEAN COMMISSION, DATE UNKNOW
10. Various shots, city gardeners plant and clean up the parks
11. Sign displays: “-professors + students= poor education” (EC Commission)
8 AUGUST 2013, LISBON, PORTUGAL
11. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Ana Morgado/Unemployed University Graduate:
“The thing is, whether I am over-qualified for some job, or need more education for others, I still don’t know what jobs are out there, if they really exist or they are just an illusion.”
12. Wide shot, Ana Morgado walking down the street
13. Various shots, street scenes in Lisbon with buses and pedestrians
14. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Eduardo Freitas/Unemployed University Graduate:
“I want to stay in Portugal and see if any opportunities arise. But if that doesn’t happen I will do the same as thousands of others. I will leave Portugal for an opportunity abroad.”
15. Various shots, street scenes with people entering commercial building
16. Wide shot, traffic
17. Wide shot, university campus with students walking around,
18. Wide shot, students crossing the street
19. Various shots, students in university lawn
20. Wide shot, University building
21. Zoom out, Eduardo Freitas in the port looking ahead
22. Med shot, students walking down stairs
Ana Morgado holds a degree in political science and international relations from NOVA University of Lisbon, which is ranked as one of the world’s top 500 universities.
But Ana, like thousands of other young, well-educated Portuguese, has lost her job, and still hasn’t found one. Her future perspectives are changing.
SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Ana Morgado, Unemployed University Graduate:
“People are more and more bitter, more mistrustful and rebellious. Sometimes I wonder what’s going to happen when things get even worse. I’m afraid of social unrest because so many young people are so angry.”
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), secure jobs that were once the norm for previous generations, at least in advanced economies like Portugal’s have become less easily accessible for many young people.
The ILO says that more and more highly educated young people are giving up looking for work at home, and increasingly looking for job opportunities abroad.
Eduardo Freitas is one of them. Eduardo has a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering. He lost his job nine months ago and has been looking for a new one ever since. Now he’s considering leaving his country.
SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Eduardo Freitas, Unemployed University Graduate:
“In Portugal people thought if you had a higher education, you could be someone, have a career. I think all this has disappeared. People with a higher education have to emigrate.”
Eduardo and Ana are facing the same dilemma. Today, the few companies in Portugal that are hiring are not looking for the skills high achieving graduates like them learned at University.
Both say they are willing to get trained to learn new skills, or even take a job far below their qualifications, but:
SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Ana Morgado, Unemployed University Graduate:
“The thing is, whether I am over-qualified for some job, or need more education for others, I still don’t know what jobs are out there, if they really exist or they are just an illusion.”
For now, Ana’s planning on state benefits to survive; after they expire, she will have to rely on her parents. Eduardo has already moved back in with his own parents and is considering his next move.
SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Eduardo Freitas, Unemployed University Graduate:
“I want to stay in Portugal and see if any opportunities arise. But if that doesn’t happen I will do the same as thousands of others. I will leave Portugal for an opportunity abroad.”
According to the ILO, policymakers should take steps to address the dangers long term unemployment holds for young people and to the society at large.
Chronic unemployment, and under-employment not only damage self-esteem and erodes skills, but it can undermine their future earnings and job prospects for decades.
But for the thousands of Portugal’s best and brightest caught up in the global jobs crisis, many already recognize that their best option to finding a decent job increasingly means leaving their country.
Download
There is no media available to download.
