就職留年者急増 職業意識を高め再挑戦しよう

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jul. 23, 2010)
Whet students' appetite for working life
就職留年者急増　職業意識を高め再挑戦しよう（7月22日付・読売社説）

An estimated 79,000 university seniors who failed to find jobs chose to repeat a year despite having reached the end of their studies this spring, according to a recent Yomiuri Shimbun survey.
　就職先が見つからず、卒業年限を迎えながら留年する。今春の「就職留年者」と推定される大学生が、約７万９０００人にも上ることが読売新聞の調査でわかった。

The figure equates to one in every seven prospective graduates opting to stay on at school. It also is disturbing to see that about 31,000 students graduated this spring despite failing to secure jobs. All this illustrates the grim employment situation as a result of the corporate sector's severe business environment.
　卒業予定者の７人に１人が大学にとどまった計算になる。就職が決まらないまま卒業した大学生も約３万１０００人おり、厳しい経営環境の下での深刻な雇用状況を浮き彫りにしている。

An important factor behind the large number of students choosing to repeat a year because of their unsuccessful hunt for a job is the system by which corporations hire fresh graduates en masse. The system mainly selects successful job applicants from seniors expected to graduate in March. This encourages students to stay on at school if they fail to find work, and look for jobs as fresh graduates, instead of allowing themselves to be treated as graduates from an earlier school year.
　就職留年の背景には、「新卒一括採用」と呼ばれる企業の採用形態がある。卒業予定の大学４年生（新卒者）を選考の中心とするため、学生は卒業して既卒者扱いになるより、留年して新卒者として志望する道を選んでいる。

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Revamp recruitment policy

According to a survey by the Japan Business Federation, about 59 percent of corporations polled said they had no plan to accept graduates from an earlier year as job applicants.
　日本経済団体連合会のアンケート調査では、「既卒者を受け付ける予定がない」と回答した企業は約５９％に達した。

We believe these businesses should give students as many chances as possible to find work by, for example, treating past graduates the same as new graduates for a certain period and hiring graduates as employees throughout the year. The corporate sector should reconsider its recruitment method to offer more jobs.
　卒業後の一定期間は新卒者と同じ扱いにしたり、年間を通じて採用を行ったりして、学生になるべく多くのチャンスを与えられないか。企業は雇用拡大に向け、採用形態を見直すべきだろう。

It is no less important to educate students about the significance of working. Questions can be raised about whether high schools, colleges and universities have properly taught students what it means to work in society. Many students do not choose a career path before graduating from high school, preferring to go to university before looking for a job.
　職業教育も必要だ。高校や大学は、社会で働くことの意味を十分教えてきただろうか。将来どんな職業に就くかという目的意識を持つことなく、取りあえず高校から大学に進学し、そのまま就職活動に臨む学生は多い。

Obviously, many students lack basic scholastic ability. Many corporations are skeptical of the university education system's ability to churn out potentially talented employees.
　基礎的な学力不足も目立ち、特に大学教育に対して、企業側には不信感がある。

In February, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry revised its university establishment standards, requiring all universities from the next academic year to raise their students' job consciousness.
　文部科学省は２月に大学設置基準を改正し、来年度からすべての大学に対し、職業意識を育む教育を行うことを義務づけた。

Students need more than just cosmetic skills such as the ability to give a polished performance at a job interview. It is essential to encourage students to set postgraduation targets while acquiring skills and moral values indispensable for occupations they hope to take up.
　面接テクニックの指導など、小手先の対策ではない。学生一人ひとりに卒業後の目標を立てさせるとともに、目指す職業に必要な能力や倫理観を身に着けさせる教育が肝要である。

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Onus also on students

It is also necessary for academic and business circles to maintain a dialogue and agree on what abilities and aptitudes should be required of students.
　教育界と経済界が対話を重ね、求められる資質についての認識を共有する必要もあろう。

Students also need to think about their own attitude toward job hunting.
　一方、学生側も自らを振り返ってみることが大切だ。

Many may well be inclined toward job offers at large corporations, which are more likely to enable them to live a stable life. However, switching jobs and other means can help improve one's career. Doors could open by using experiences gained through jobs that students believe best suit their skills and ambitions.
　安定志向から、大企業に志望が偏るのはわかるが、まず自らの適性を見極めて就職し、経験を積んでから、転職などでキャリアアップを図る道もある。

Progress in economic globalization is certain to increase the number of corporations that will employ foreign students studying in this country. This means Japanese students likely will face even greater competition for jobs.
　経済のグローバル化で、今後は外国人留学生を採用する企業が増える。日本人学生は、就職戦線でこれまで以上に厳しい競争を強いられることが予想される。

We hope students who have chosen to repeat a year after failing to find work will spend the additional year wisely by, for instance, honing their foreign language and other skills.
　例えば語学力を磨くなど、留年した１年を自己研(けん)さんにあて、有意義な時間にしてほしい。（さんは金へんに「先」二つに「貝」）

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 22, 2010)
（2010年7月22日01時44分 読売新聞）