When they finish their education, young people face a big challenge: finding a job. Despite the recent improvement in the job market, there is still a high rate of unemployment among young people, hovering around 23%. Therefore, getting one's first job remains an extremely difficult task. We can find out how to deal with this and get ready for the new challenges during a debate on "How to successfully enter the job market?" organized by the University of Silesia in Katowice and The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
The debate will be held on December 4 at the University of Silesia in Katowice. It will be attended by representatives of universities, HR experts from Citi Handlowy, local entrepreneurs, and business consultants, who together will try to answer the key question for young people: how to successfully enter the job market? They will also discuss whether students are prepared to begin a career, how the education system helps them with this, and whether it is worth starting their own business. The discussion will be moderated by journalist Maciej Zdziarski.
"In Poland, young people, even if they have a college degree, are unable to find permanent employment. Some of them continue their education, while others are forced to register with employment offices or agree to work on an undeclared basis or under civil law contracts. During the debate on "How to successfully enter the job market?" we want to make students aware of what from the employer's point of view is most important in choosing an employee and how to adapt to these requirements," says Krzysztof Kaczmar, President of The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation.
"How college graduates navigate the tough job market is currently one of the most important topics in the discussion about higher education in our country. We are pleased that representatives of the business world are also taking up this issue and often indicate what qualifications they expect in their future employees," says Jacek Szymik-Kozaczko, a spokesman for the University of Silesia.
During the debate, students from the University of Silesia will compete in the finals of "The First Million", an online simulation in which the aim of players is to acquire a virtual one million dollars as fast as possible. The game helps to develop good habits in financial management and convey knowledge on the functioning of banking services and capital markets. The first stage was individual and lasted from November 12 to 26. The seven players who acquired a million zlotys in the fewest rounds will have to create two-person teams that will play in the finals for a monetary prize. Those who got high scores, but did not qualify for the finals, will be able to take part in a competition on financial knowledge.
Students will also have an opportunity to participate in skill-building workshops that will take place after the debate. They will be facilitated by experts from the HR department of Citi Handlowy, who will point out to the students what employers pay attention to when reading a CV and will give tips on how to make a good impression at a job interview.
"First Million" is an online simulation created by experts at The Citi Handlowy Leopold Kronenberg Foundation in which participants have to acquire a virtual one million zlotys as quickly as possible, i.e., in the fewest rounds possible, by making a series of financial and investment decisions. Players have access to term deposits, as well as an opportunity to invest in stocks, investment funds, commodities, and even the real estate market. The game teaches relationships governing the real economy and their influence on individual sectors of the market. It also simulates random events that affect everyday life.
