- 25 minutes ago
Whether in China, Kenya or Germany, young people struggle to find jobs, prospects, and recognition. Five stories show how they're using creativity, protest, and courage to discover new paths in a changing world of work.
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00:01How happy are you as a young adult?
00:03Happiness researchers are sounding the alarm.
00:06Young people around the world are unhappier than ever.
00:09They're now more worried, stressed out and depressed than they used to be.
00:14One reason why, excessive social media use.
00:18Girls are suffering due to constant comparison with unrealistic ideal body shapes.
00:23Other reasons include fear of climate change and restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic.
00:31Worries about finding a job, old age poverty, rising debt and housing shortages are also causing dissatisfaction.
00:39But the economy needs the young generation.
00:42Youth unemployment? That's today's topic on MADE.
00:58What do young people in Kenya, Bangladesh and Nepal have in common?
01:03They're unhappy.
01:04With too few jobs and government corruption, Gen Z is taking to the streets.
01:12We all share a global frustration, a sense of understanding where we see that our governments are not doing enough
01:19or our governments are working against us.
01:21The youth, they don't have a route to proper employment and then they have to leave the country.
01:28And if they're in the country, then they don't have jobs and there's a lot of frustration.
01:34And that frustration has been boiling over.
01:37In 2024, protests by young people helped to topple the government in Bangladesh and this year in Nepal.
01:44In Kenya, the protests ended in bloodshed.
01:47Are there lessons to be learned here?
01:48Everyday life did return quickly enough in the capital of Bangladesh, but the legacy of the protests is still visible
01:56in Dhaka.
01:57What was the source of so much anger among young students here?
02:01The system was not fair. Qualified people were not getting government jobs and the safety and security that comes with
02:08government jobs are very lucrative.
02:10And that was the issue that triggered the whole situation.
02:13But it went into a violent protest when the government forces or the political forces attacked on them.
02:20And it's a similar scenario in many other countries on different continents, too.
02:25Last year, a new budget proposal in Kenya sparked outrage, although high prices were not the only issue.
02:32It was about taxes that were to be increased on different things, but mostly on the basic needs, you know,
02:40like food, on things like sanitary products, you know, for women and girls.
02:44We already have a huge population of women and girls that cannot afford this and you want to increase these
02:49prices.
02:50There was also about medicine, you know, about hospitals, about health care.
02:54People are going to hospitals and being turned away and you don't have money to pay out of pocket.
03:00Back in Asia, tensions escalated dramatically in Nepal in early September, with protests erupting due to a government ban on
03:08social media platforms.
03:10The resulting crackdown by security forces left dozens of people dead and prompted the prime minister to resign.
03:17The youth in this country is often they are educated, but under employed.
03:25They feel that they are paying the prices for systematic failures while a small elite or political, you know, class
03:33reaps the reward of the growth that we have been seeing.
03:37The problems are familiar ones everywhere.
03:40Stagnant wages, too few jobs, high inflation and housing shortages.
03:45And corruption is also rampant.
03:48In a global survey of 180 countries, Bangladesh ranks particularly poorly in 151st place,
03:55with Nepal and Kenya not much better.
03:58For Ashraf Ulalung Khan and his fellow students, corruption is indeed a massive issue for his generation.
04:07We had structural barriers and it was not easy to come up with new ideas in Bangladesh.
04:12It was not easy to start something new because of the bureaucratic red taps and everything, the corruption and all.
04:17So I think the economy will bounce back very soon if we can check the corruption part, because that ends
04:24everything.
04:25He's applying for jobs now before even having graduated, due to the tough situation that might well await him.
04:32As a student of social science, we always have the option to work in humanitarian projects, especially the NGOs and
04:38INGOs in Bangladesh.
04:39But with the global context in mind, the fundings are being loosened and we have challenges there as well.
04:47He's one of many young people who are thinking about leaving the country.
04:51And brain drain is a growing problem for Kenya and Nepal too.
04:55An additional factor here is that human capital flight also makes the domestic economy more dependent on the income the
05:01people send back home.
05:03Nepal being a good example.
05:05While five years ago, remittances amounted to over eight billion U.S. dollars.
05:09By 2024, that figure had more than trebled to almost 29 billion.
05:14Nepal's over-reliance on remittance and weak job creation combined with poor education system, mismatched skills and policy inconsistency created
05:23a perfect strength.
05:25The political instability could lead to cutting off the channels of remittance.
05:31In the most extreme case, exchange rate changes could interfere with real transfers of resources back home and dissatisfaction.
05:41I mean, imagine if a large number of expatriates earning and sending money back home suddenly became disaffected because of
05:49these movements, maybe because they support them and maybe they're against repression of young people.
05:57Another big issue is purchasing power.
06:00While real wages in Bangladesh were increasing slightly a few years ago, more recently they've been in decline and fell
06:07by almost 2% in 2024.
06:10What needs to happen in these countries for the situation to improve?
06:15What the politicians can do is they can focus more on, well, the practical stuff, keeping inflation down, keeping prices
06:25of essentials under control.
06:27But at the same time, they can work on developing their infrastructure, building jobs, that's the medium and long-term
06:34plan.
06:34Which echoes what Ashraf al-Alum Khan says too, feeling that things are changing too slowly for young people.
06:42So, did taking to the streets even help?
06:45And what hope does he have for his country?
06:49Right now, my main concern is the overall transformation and where we are standing as a nation.
06:57And as a student, I am very unsure about the fundamental reforms and what are we expecting because the things
07:04are very unclear.
07:04And I see that like millions are there, we are very confused and we are not clearly seeing what's going
07:11to happen to our nation.
07:12With graduation a few months away, he's already job-seeking and not just in Bangladesh.
07:18He would love to stay in his country, but if no suitable positions are available, he'd be prepared to join
07:23the brain drain abroad.
07:30Maybe he could end up at a Berlin startup. Innovative, flexible, no fear of failure.
07:37That's how many young people from all over the world enter the startup scene in Berlin.
07:42But the really big boom is over.
07:452024 saw a record number of insolvencies.
07:48Is Berlin really still an important startup metropolis?
07:55At one time, Berlin's tech startup hub was a powerful magnet, attracting skilled migrants from all over the world.
08:02But global challenges and Germany's own struggles have dimmed the spark of Berlin's startups.
08:07The city, which used to be called poor and sexy ten years back, is no longer at ease, it's not
08:13poor.
08:14Maybe the people are, but then the cost of living is quite high enough.
08:18Startups face challenges, as do the migrants who drive much of Berlin's ecosystem.
08:23One of the major challenges that immigrant entrepreneurs will face is about paperwork and language.
08:29Job listings are declining. Some are migrating once again. Others have reasons to stay.
08:34We are expecting a baby. You don't really consider to move into another country because things will be more difficult
08:41for my family members.
08:44What happened to Berlin's startups? Can the city rekindle the flame? Let's ask the professionals in the tech scene.
08:51Born in Afghanistan and raised in Pakistan, Imal moved to Germany in 2015 after being granted a scholarship in machine
08:58learning.
08:58He couldn't wait to move to Berlin.
09:01So when I was in Koblenz, Berlin was attractive not only because of the English speaking city, but also because
09:08it's a startup hub of Europe.
09:12And Borak came to Berlin after finding a job in his field.
09:16When I moved in 2019, I was super excited. Also like the scene was very lively.
09:22Berlin is home to around 3.7 million people and nearly one in four residents is indeed a foreigner.
09:29Among the foreign residents, the largest communities come from Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Syria and India.
09:36To earning her MBA in India, Harsha moved to Berlin in 2015.
09:40Throughout her career, she has already worked with 200 startups.
09:44What could be Berlin's unique selling proposition, let's call it for the founders, is the depth and diversity of the
09:51talent force.
09:52There is a lot of big migrant communities and they are very risk friendly.
09:56They are bringing their culture, they're bringing their insights into international markets here.
10:01So speaking of three biggest challenges in Berlin for immigrant entrepreneurs.
10:07Legal things, housing, it's very hard to find an apartment. And the third one is economy.
10:13The economy is having a very bad downturn right now, created a lot of challenges for entrepreneurs to raise capital.
10:20Unfortunately, one of my startups, VoiceKit, had to go through the same problem.
10:25We couldn't raise more capital and had to liquidate it.
10:29In 2024, Berlin saw a 27% increase in insolvencies compared to 2023.
10:36Previously, it was still a little bit easier for foreigners to get early stage money
10:41based on ideas and some early demonstration of proof of concept.
10:46Stata Forest nowadays pays a lot earlier requests for traction and high due diligence from investors.
10:53For the first time in a decade, Germany's unemployment has surpassed 3 million people or 6.4%.
10:59In Berlin, the rate is far above that at 10.5%.
11:02Among foreign workers in Germany, it's almost 15%, leaving migrants among the most vulnerable on the labor market.
11:10With over 10 years of experience and no career breaks, Borak thought finding a new job would be easier.
11:16Averagely, I'm applying 30-40 positions in a month.
11:21Generally, I got like 90% automatic rejections.
11:25I think that the supply and demand balance is very off at the moment.
11:29So there are like huge demands, but very few job openings.
11:34AI is booming worldwide and could also revive Berlin's ecosystem.
11:39David, a native Spanish speaker who launched a language learning app in 2017, says the app brings steady revenue.
11:46But can AI also threaten startups like his?
11:49Yeah, definitely, AI has changed a lot of the ways in which everyone goes to work, especially if you are
11:56a founder that has a product.
11:58Because, of course, it can threaten your way of life if the product that you have can be easily replaced.
12:06If you look at the current challenges of our generation, these are the challenges that are too big for us
12:12to solve so quickly on our own.
12:14So I see AI more as an opportunity that we can use it.
12:17Let's work on climate change with this topic. Let's work on biodiversity.
12:21What I'm not a big fan of is not being mindful of how we use AI, who's building it, what's
12:28feeding into the algorithm.
12:31Berlin leads Germany's AI industry with nearly one in three AI startups based in the capital.
12:36But can Berlin's AI startups stay sustainable?
12:40So that they do not become profitable, it could turn into a bubble and it will burst.
12:45So when people are paying you money, that is a very good validator whether your startup is actually something that's
12:53worth building further and will become sustainable.
12:56Stay focused entirely on revenue and on sales and making money.
13:00What's holding Germany back? Stability and precision have long been its strengths.
13:04Yet many say that innovation is lacking and the country often struggles to embrace it.
13:10Innovation often takes that mentality of moving fast and breaking things.
13:16The current economical situation is signaling that we need to take more risks and do things more unconventionally
13:23so that we can take Germany back on its economical best position it deserves to be.
13:29Start up from the nature that it moves fast and break things.
13:33But culturally here, nobody wants to move fast and nobody wants to break things.
13:38People in Germany do not just dream about growing up and working in a startup.
13:42They are built to find some risk free professions in a very stable job.
13:47And that's why they like to work in big corporations.
13:49Despite stagnation, many remain hopeful that Berlin's startup scene will thrive again.
13:54What brought me to Berlin is the vibrant startup ecosystem.
13:58But what kept me here is actually the challenge of the ecosystem.
14:02Since I'm living in Berlin, I'm building a small nest for my two little children.
14:07I would stay positive and I would say, yes, Berlin is still competitive.
14:12Are you optimistic about Berlin's startup ecosystem and the future of the German economy?
14:22It's not just startups that draw young people to Germany.
14:25Service jobs like those in nursing.
14:28Restaurants or hotels are in urgent need of skilled workers.
14:31More and more people from Asia are filling in to keep the economy going.
14:37Such as at this theme park in southwestern Germany, Europa Park.
14:42But getting a job here is often just the first hurdle for young people.
14:50Germany is hiring and this guy has got a job at the country's biggest theme park.
14:55This moment opened a new chapter in my life.
14:58Maxid now works at one of Europa Park's hotels.
15:01The visa process took a bit long, about a year.
15:05Foreign workers don't just power hotels.
15:07They are behind the attractions, the shops and all the entertainment and fun.
15:11Without all the workers from abroad, we would have closed half of the park.
15:15We had issues to fill the positions, weekends and holidays and the evening shifts.
15:20More than 19,000 workers are needed for hospitality and restaurant jobs across Germany.
15:26So win-win for Europa Park and Maxid.
15:28But he wasn't prepared for it.
15:30The dialect is a bit difficult to understand.
15:33We only learned standard German.
15:34At first, it was a culture shock for us.
15:37Housing is scarce across Germany.
15:39So, he shares a flat in one of Europa Park's staff apartments.
15:43Here's where I live with my flatmate.
15:46Our flat's a bit small, but it's cozy.
15:49Reality check.
15:50Is he happy in his new home?
15:53Actually, yes.
15:54I'm happy.
15:56But when it comes to homesickness, it's a bit strange to stay here without my family.
16:01I have a son.
16:02He's two years old.
16:03And my wife.
16:04In the next few months, they'll be here too.
16:09Until then, he makes the best out of his spare time.
16:12And yes.
16:13I can ride the roller coaster for free.
16:19And what's the situation like for young job seekers in China?
16:23Not good.
16:24Youth unemployment in 2025 has been extremely high, at nearly 19%.
16:30College graduates in particular are having a hard time finding good jobs.
16:35Many are having to make do with menial work.
16:39Tangping, they call it, or lying flat.
16:41It's also a form of protest.
16:43But others are looking for different solutions.
16:49Praying for a job when all else fails.
16:51At Lama Temple in Beijing, graduates are hoping for a change of fortune.
16:58They've gone through grueling university entrance exams and decades of study in the hopes of a better life, one that
17:05has yet to materialize.
17:10I came here to pray for a smooth life and a successful career.
17:16My ideal job is to work in a stable environment.
17:21Before, even someone with a college degree could easily find a job.
17:26But now even graduates struggle to find work.
17:31Youth unemployment in China has surged, with latest figures nearing 19% this summer, when China's largest ever cohort of
17:40graduates entered the job market for the first time, over 12 million of them.
17:45The graduate jobs downturn is part of a wider economic slowdown in China.
17:53As the Chinese real estate sector slumps for a fifth straight year.
17:59And car makers and other manufacturers struggle with oversupply.
18:03On top of that, academic Roy Ying says universities are not equipping graduates with skills employers are actually looking for.
18:12Although I'm in academia, I actually have a feeling that we, as teachers, we have some responsibility.
18:20Because students don't get to choose what we teach.
18:24The graduate job crisis has given rise to a new type of industry.
18:29Pretending to work.
18:32Graduates pay a small fee to spend the day in an office environment that looks just like the real thing.
18:38One of those firms told us Chinese authorities had instructed them not to speak to journalists.
18:44And they asked us not to talk about unemployment rates in this report.
18:49But while all the firms we contacted refused to appear on camera, on Chinese social media, fake offices are an
18:56open secret and a running joke.
18:59Ying warns that no matter how desperate graduates are for a job, they should never use these types of firms
19:05to lie on their CV.
19:09And if there's anything that on their CV that is hanky panky, dodgy, that's probably the first thing out the
19:19door.
19:21In a bid to turn the tide, Beijing is offering subsidies to companies that hire unemployed young people.
19:27And is developing a traffic light system for university courses.
19:31Red for oversubscribed.
19:32And green for a course deemed in the interests of the nation.
19:43What exactly is waste?
19:45Broken household appliances, packaging, worn out clothing, leftover materials from production.
19:51All things that someone wants to get rid of because they're no longer of any use to them.
19:58Stop! Some people say there's no such thing as waste.
20:02You can make something new from any material.
20:05Sonali Padke from India has made a job of it.
20:18Till now humanity has thought about creating just single use material.
20:23We have to think about what is the second, third, fourth use of the same material.
20:28And whether we can look at it differently and create something which was not looked upon as a possibility before.
20:36I'm Sonali Padke from Studio Alternatives and we work in the field of upcycling and as well as various projects
20:43that we do with scrap.
20:49We want this to become a hub for designers, for young students to come and explore material.
21:00Let's say you buy something online or you know even from a shop.
21:04It comes with a set of instruction manuals and it comes with safety and you know how to use it
21:09and everything else.
21:10But there are no instructions on how to throw it or how to take it apart.
21:22We should go a step ahead when we make our products whether we can also tell people how to disassemble
21:28it when you're done with it.
21:31So you take charge of what should happen to it and not just dump it somewhere.
21:42With upcycling it's a lot of experimentation. We have conducted workshops. We do projects mostly for individuals or also corporates
21:51where the scrap form corporates we receive here and we've done something with tires, we've done something with old furniture,
21:57we've refurbished things and put it back in spaces.
22:02Can scrap of one entity become an input to another entity and can we work on such different models?
22:11For example, we needed like one meter pipes, metal pipes for a project and the thing was that I had
22:18to buy bigger section of pipes in the market.
22:20We get 20 feet or 18 feet pipes and I was talking to somebody we know, nearby fabricator and for
22:27him that one meter pipe was waste.
22:29Because in his project he could not have any joints. So suddenly, see there is a lot of value that
22:34is there even economically.
22:38It makes sense for both parties. So with scrap also can we have a platform where people are connected and
22:45before it is even called as waste, it becomes a material that can be reutilized at that scale itself.
23:01Dharah and I both believe that since we are located in this village, in this community, let us say can
23:06we make a difference to the five kilometer radius that we are already in.
23:21So we are coming up with a scrap library for schools especially. So from an very early age, we give
23:27a material library of say 25 material to start with.
23:36We will give tool sets that go with the scrap and we have instructions on how to use the scrap
23:41to create something. It could be art and craft, it could be a part of your regular models that you
23:47do in schools, maybe a part of geography or other subjects that you are learning.
23:58So we feel as early as possible, we have to cut this notion that this is garbage. You have to
24:04start looking at it as a resource.
24:10Let's say for a book cover, why do you need to buy brown paper from the shop? Can you just
24:15maybe stitch the wrappers that you have from your chocolates or chips packets? Can you stitch it? Can you make
24:20a waterproof cover out of it?
24:23So we are saying we are salvaging material and we are trying to work on it to increase the life
24:27of material.
24:42We have a concept that because it is waste or scrap it has to be free. Upcycling essentially it has
24:49to come up as a business. It has to have products which hold their space in the market.
24:57You can't ask people to buy something because it makes more sense as being a sustainable product or a green
25:04product but somebody should buy it because they like it.
25:07So it has to be aesthetic, it has to be good looking, well made and functionally perfect at par with
25:12other products.
25:17The perception that upcycling has to be cheap, that has to be challenged and that has to be explained because
25:23you are saving on material but you are going to end up paying more on labour and transport and design
25:28costs.
25:31Again, the life of what you've created should be long enough that the energy and the processes that are going
25:37behind it are justified.
25:45That's it for today's episode of MADE about young people who are becoming increasingly dissatisfied, the search for jobs and
25:53a solution that also helps the environment.
25:55See you next time.
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