As a university student about to graduate, these past few months have been the most stressful time of my life. My time as a student is coming to an end and I am approaching an important crossroads in life. Due to family issues, I do not plan to continue my studies, which means I have to face the uncertainty of work and the future head-on.
In the past few years, anxiety about the future among young people in Taiwan has sharply increased. High rent, inflation and a weak economy have made it harder to find an “ideal job.” Overall economic pressure in Taiwan has further inflamed this anxiety. Housing prices are so high that owning a home has become almost impossible, so most young people can only rent long-term. Even renting is still a heavy burden for fresh graduates.
Many young people are becoming less willing to get married or have children. When it is difficult to maintain even a basic living, starting a family is no longer a natural step in life, but something that needs to be carefully weighed.
Many labor-intensive industries have long faced labor shortages, but they still struggle to attract young workers. This situation reflects a deeper problem beneath the surface.
My family hopes that I can take the national exam and become a civil servant, which seems stable and secure to them. I am not particularly interested in that path. I am actually interested in the dining industry, which is often seen as draining and not very promising. After working part-time in this industry, I began to understand why it has long-term labor shortages. Hard work is one reason, but more importantly, the working hours are unstable, and the working conditions are often unfair. When business is not good, employers usually reduce the working hours of part-time workers and full-time employees might have to do the work of two or even three people without extra pay. The industry relies heavily on physical labor, but the rewards do not match the effort. It is difficult for young people to stay in the industry for a long time.
The issue is not that young people do not want to work, but that it is hard to find jobs that are stable and fairly paid. The gap between expectations and reality is the main source of anxiety.
When these problems become structural issues, it becomes very difficult for people to change the situation on their own. The government could provide more support and opportunities for young people, such as encouraging entrepreneurship, improving working conditions, and systems and offering basic financial support for those who have just entered the workforce. Although the government has introduced rental subsidy programs for young people, I would say that based on my own experience watching them, their effectiveness is limited. In some cases, landlords raise the rent because of these subsidies, which reduces any actual benefit. Without better supporting measures, such policies would not truly solve the housing problems faced by young people.
The idea that “as long as you work hard, you will succeed” no longer seems true. With increasing competition and changing environments, many young people feel confused and uncertain in terms of career choices, financial pressure and even self-identity. These issues are not something that people can solve alone, nor can they be fixed by short-term policies. They require long-term cooperation between the younger generation and the government. Although these structural problems are difficult to solve, there is still hope that they can gradually improve in the future, allowing young people to see a more promising future again.
Wu Pei-wen is a student in the Department of International Affairs at Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages.
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