Studies are not enough – high school graduates have concrete plans
Although high school graduates will only learn their matriculation exam results at the beginning of July, the vast majority of them already know what they want to do in the future. This is a very specific plan related to acquiring knowledge – theoretical and practical. The former is to be provided by studies, which 64% of high school graduates plan to start. Those who decide to continue their education are driven by the desire to gain an interesting profession, the prospect of high earnings, and the opportunity to pursue their passions and interests. But this year’s high school graduates also want to acquire practical knowledge, and thus combine learning with work. As many as 84% of respondents have such plans. This is a significant percentage, especially when compared to the Eurostat report from 2023, when about 14% of students (15-29 years old) in our country undertook paid work, with the European average being almost 26%. And what drives young people who plan to work during their studies? It turns out that it is a consequence of ambition. According to a study conducted by SW Research for OLX Praca, high school graduates want to work primarily to gain professional experience (65% of respondents) and to become independent from their parents (63.8%). And what kind of work can high school graduates count on? On OLX, in the “Jobs” category, there is a filter: “Special requirements”, and within it the criterion “Student status”, meaning these are job offers where employers require this status. The data collected there shows that administration, trade, and gastronomy offer the most jobs directed at students. Interestingly, these are characterized by the fact that employers’ search for people with student status is not seasonal.
If not studies, then work
A study conducted in April this year by SW Research for OLX Praca shows that only 12% of this year’s high school graduates do not plan to undertake studies. This is a diverse group, consisting of both people who do not rule out continuing their education in the future (one in five respondents) and those who definitively give up on it. It turns out that in the case of the latter, the vast majority plan to pursue a profession that does not require higher education (49%) or believe that studies will not be necessary for them in life. So if not studies, then what? The answer to this question is also provided by the results of the OLX Praca study. More than two-thirds of people who do not plan to continue their education want to take up professional work.
– In our society, there is still a belief that studies are the best path to professional and financial success. However, it is worth verifying this assumption and confronting it with market data. And these leave no doubt. As GUS reported, last year industrial workers and craftsmen were among the most sought-after professions. OLX data, on the other hand, shows that people without experience can choose from many offers. It was not required in as many as 46% of advertisements published in the categories: production, sales, shop assistant, gastronomy, and driver – says Konrad Grygo, OLX business analyst. Therefore, the decision to take up work immediately after graduating from high school can be an excellent step on the path to building one’s professional career. Especially since entering this market during the holidays is relatively easy, as it is a period when many seasonal job offers appear, aimed at young people without previous professional experience — adds Grygo.
OLX data confirms that the demand for young employees is very high. Moreover, in some areas, e.g., hostess, leaflet distribution, delivery person, or city courier, practically all job offers are directed at people without experience. Since April, there has also been a sharp increase in interest in seasonal workers. This rich offer is aimed at people who want to take their first professional steps in gastronomy or hospitality, i.e., industries directly related to tourism.
Unpaid internships and apprenticeships are becoming a thing of the past
Work is the natural choice for most of this year’s high school graduates who do not plan to start studies. The future professional group is characterized by great flexibility in terms of employment form. Only one in four people expects a full-time employment contract or a civil law contract. Part-time contracts (41%) or casual work are more popular. However, studies show an extremely important change in young people’s approach to remuneration. Only a few would be willing to undertake unpaid internships or apprenticeships. For employers, this is a very clear signal definitively heralding the end of the era of unpaid internships and apprenticeships.
And what kind of remuneration can the youngest participants in the labor market expect? Most often, it is the minimum wage or the lowest hourly rate. But people without experience can also choose a job that brings significantly higher incomes, but outside Poland, which is important, without the need to know the language. In this case, a weekly wage of 600 euros is standard, and monthly earnings often exceed 10, or even 12 thousand zlotys.
– Young people entering the labor market bring their own value system into it. They can also openly express their expectations. This is a characteristic that contributes to changes in this market, including those concerning remuneration for work performed and employment transparency. The youngest participants in the labor market are aware that they are entitled to remuneration for the work they perform. They are not convinced by arguments that it is a stage of learning a profession. And it’s hard to disagree with that. Every job should be remunerated, and the amount of this remuneration should be defined by its quality, not the employee’s age – Konrad Grygo, OLX business analyst.
Analysis prepared based on a public opinion survey conducted by SW Research for OLX Praca. April 2025, n=200.
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Kamil Szabłowski
