Watch Generation Jobless

Generation Jobless is a Canadian documentary that dives into the lives of millennials and their struggles with finding employment in today's society. The film is directed and produced by Adam Shamoon and features interviews with various experts and millennials themselves, including Canadian author and playwright Ann-Marie Macdonald.

The documentary explores the idea that millennials, who were born between 1982 and 2004, are facing a uniquely challenging job market. One of the key points the film makes is that, despite being the most educated generation in history, millennials are struggling to find jobs that match their qualifications. In fact, the film suggests that millennials are often overqualified for the jobs that are available to them, which forces them to work in positions that offer little to no career advancement.

To illustrate this point, the film features interviews with various millennials who have struggled to find meaningful employment. One of the subjects, a recent university graduate named Gareth, describes how he has applied to over 500 jobs without success. Another subject, a young woman named Jocelyn, talks about how she had to take on multiple part-time jobs just to make ends meet. The film also features interviews with experts such as economist Armine Yalnizyan, who provides context for millennials' employment challenges by discussing the changing nature of work in Canada.

Another topic the documentary explores is the impact of technology on the job market. The film suggests that the rise of automation and artificial intelligence is causing the elimination of many low-skilled jobs, which is creating a situation where even more millennials are competing for the same limited number of high-skilled jobs. The film argues that this trend exacerbates the already-challenging employment situation for millennials, many of whom have invested heavily in education to prepare themselves for what they believed would be a dynamic and expanding job market.

Despite the challenges facing millennials, the film also highlights ways in which young people are finding creative solutions to the employment crisis. For example, the film features interviews with entrepreneurs who have started their own businesses despite the challenges of the job market. The film also highlights the work of organizations like the Canadian Intern Association, which advocates for better pay and protections for interns.

Throughout the documentary, Ann-Marie Macdonald provides a thoughtful and empathetic voice as she interviews millennials and shares her own insights into the issues facing young people today. As a successful artist and writer, Macdonald has a unique perspective on the employment challenges facing millennials, and she uses her platform to advocate for the importance of creativity and innovation in both the arts and the larger economy.

Ultimately, Generation Jobless is a thought-provoking and engaging documentary that sheds light on an important societal issue. The film's exploration of the difficulties facing millennials in today's job market is nuanced and well-researched, and its focus on the creative ways in which young people are overcoming these obstacles is inspiring. The documentary serves as a call to action for all Canadians to recognize the importance of investing in the potential of young people to drive our economy forward.

Generation Jobless is a 2017 documentary with a runtime of 43 minutes.