The UK Job Market and Student Goal Setting in the Post-COVID Era Essay

This essay examines the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK job market, exploring the economic consequences and sector-specific effects. It highlights the significant job losses, particularly in vulnerable sectors like tourism and hospitality, and the broader implications for the UK economy, including Scotland. The essay analyzes the risks associated with employment, temporary terminations, and reduced working hours. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of goal-setting for university students in response to the changing job market. It argues that students should formulate both short-term and long-term career goals, and consider alternative career options to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the post-pandemic landscape. The essay concludes by summarizing the overall effects of the COVID-19 and suggesting ways students can prepare for their futures.

Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Covid 19 pandemic has affected the whole world and every part of the world and UK is
one of the most affected countries from the pandemic, that the pandemic can affect its existing
job market and will also create difficulty for those who are willing to start their job in this
duration.
MAIN BODY
Job market of a country is a part of the economy of a country and how well and
effectively job market functions depend on the economy of that country. Covid 19 has made
significant impact on the economy of UK and this is why its job market has also affected from
Covid 19. In context of UK economy of Scotland has also significantly affected because of
reduction in activity in private sector. Scotland is part of UK but this has affected more than
whole UK (Covid -19 impact: UK economy may shrink by 13% in 2020, the most in 300 yrs,
2020). This also happened because key sectors of Scotland has affected badly from the effect of
pandemic these sectors of economy are oil and gas, aviation and tourism and hospitality.
Activities in these areas have completely closed due to Covid 19 and because these sectors also
contribute to significant jobs in Scotland this is the reason that overall job market of UK has
badly affected from the Covid 19 pandemic. This happened because of measures which were
taken in order to reduce and slow down spread of Corona Virus. Though it helped in relations
with public health crisis but economy because of this is most affected element in UK.
As per report around 7.6 million jobs are at risk because of implication on the economy.
This employment risk involves temporary termination, permanent layoffs and reduction in job
hours and pay of the employees. This is expected that people and places with lowest incomes are
most vulnerable in losing jobs (COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Assessing jobs at risk and the
impact on people and places, 2020). In this the effect on the jobs in UK has divided on the basis
of existing and before Covid 19 economic condition of the regions. This is because proportion of
jobs at risk in 20 lowest income sub-regions of UK is projected to range from 23 to 29 percent on
the other hand in 20 regions with highest income it ranges from 18 to 25 percent.

This impact also differs on the basis of sector of the economy in first half of April 73%
workers in accommodation and food services and 46% workers in construction were furloughed.
In this workers employed in water utilities and in information and communication has least
impact compared to all other sectors of the economy.
In order to face the situation students in Universality requires that they prepare for their future by
setting short and long term goals (Burgess and Sievertsen, 2020). Short terms goals can be based
on their studies and long term goals should be jobs and career. Students should also focus on
alternative career options as job market in UK has been negatively affected.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that Covid 19 has affected the whole
economy and there are several sectors which will require time to get back on track after the
lockdown and impact of Covid 19 reduces.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Burgess, S. and Sievertsen, H.H., 2020. Schools, skills, and learning: The impact of COVID-19
on education. VoxEu. org, 1.
Covid -19 impact: UK economy may shrink by 13% in 2020, the most in 300 yrs. 2020. [Online].
Available Through: <https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/covid-19-
impact-uk-economy-may-shrink-by-13-in-2020-the-most-in-300-yrs-
120041401665_1.html>.
COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Assessing jobs at risk and the impact on people and places.
2020. [Online]. Available Through: < https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-
sector/our-insights/covid-19-in-the-united-kingdom-assessing-jobs-at-risk-and-the-
impact-on-people-and-places >.