If you hate your job, you’re not alone as new research has discovered that almost half of young Brits (45 percent) feel trapped in a job they can’t stand. 43 percent spend the whole day clock watching, while 29 percent admit the end of the weekend is ruined with “Sunday night blues” – the dread of going back to work the following day.
To find a potential solution to the problems that many young people are facing with their career, and to show the realities of new career challenges, the Open University are launching an ‘Unlock Your Inner Boss LIVE – The CEO Challenge’.
They have teamed up with BBC Radio 1 presenter, Gemma Cairney, who will be tasked with sitting at the helm of a fictional business for the day, faced with a series of business challenges that she will have to overcome with some specialist advice from our alumni, academics, and students – known as our ‘OU-riginals’.
Gemma’s day will be streamed live on YouTube on 25th May between 11am and 4pm so you can tune in and see how she is doing.
She will also need YOUR help as the viewers, voting live to help steer her decisions through the day.
Gemma will go live on the hour, every hour between 11am and 4pm at the OU library on campus, tackling a series of lively tasks that cover:
- 11am Street Smart: Understanding customers and the market
- 12pm Making The Case for Your Business: Putting together an effective business plan
- 1pm: My Way or The Hire Way: Hiring and managing
- 2pm: The Profit Is Right! Making a business profitable and having adequate finances
- 3pm: Leadership Leveller: Mindset and leadership
- 4pm: Future Feats: Staying ahead with technology
“I’m thrilled to be taking part in the OU’s ‘Unlock Your Inner Boss’ LIVE challenge and be put through my paces, as my own boss in a new ‘business’. It’s brilliant to see that young people today have such positive mindsets about feeling entrepreneurial – they clearly want to take control of their careers and so many are planning their own side hustles. Hopefully watching me in the UYIB challenge will show that everyone is capable of achieving their dream job, given the right mindset and support. I’ve always considered myself to have an entrepreneurial mindset and I can’t wait to see what challenges the day has to offer!”
Gemma Cairney
According to the research, over a third (36 percent) of 20- to 35-year-olds admit they’re desperate to quit their job but can’t afford to, while 38 percent say they have no hope of getting a promotion or moving sideways to a more interesting position at their current company.
Interestingly, 82 percent of young people said they dream of being their own boss, while four in ten (41 percent) said given the chance they would like to start up their own business. In fact, three-quarters describe themselves as having an entrepreneurial spirit and reckon they have what it takes to be successful.
When it comes to ‘side hustles’ or an occupation that is undertaken in addition to one’s regular employment, 37 percent of respondents say they already have one. A third of young people that don’t already have a side hustle want one and 21 percent claim to be planning their ‘side hustle’ now.
Yet the study of 1,500 20- to 35-year-olds, commissioned by the Open University, suggests it’s difficult to find something new, as 28 percent feel they fell into a career path they can’t get out of. A quarter of young people are desperate to quit their current jobs but are struggling to find something else.
“It’s amazing to see the positive entrepreneurial attitude that young people in the UK have. Lots of young people know they have the potential to do bigger and better things but are unsure how to access their dream job. We hope the OU can be the solution to the problems that some of the younger generations are facing, flexible studying hours give OU students the ability to ‘earn while they learn’ and offer a chance to upskill to land their dream job whilst pursuing a side hustle at the same time.
Professor Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor at the Open University
The livestream forms part of the OU’s new Skills campaign, bringing to life the values, expertise and skills that the OU has to offer in a world where people are increasingly veering away from traditional career routes. Tune in to contribute, and benefit from advice and insight from our ‘OU-riginals’, plus an exciting free collection of resources for livestream viewers… don’t miss it!
To tune in to the Open University’s Unlock Your Inner Boss LIVE – The CEO Challenge on the 25th May and watch Gemma tackle the challenge live on air, click here for Facebook, here for LinkedIn or here for YouTube.
