‘Gig economy’ eroding traditional employment among youth

Casual "gig economy" work is more popular than ever among 15-24 year olds, according to new research

A new survey by Appjobs, a platform that connects individuals to short-term "gig economy" work that easily fits in with school or college work, has revealed that young people are favouring this form of work over traditional full or part-time employment.

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One of the concerns we hear about from retailers and store owners around Ireland is a growing unease about the ability to find and retain staff for stores. It seems part of the cause of this is the erosion of traditional employment as student-age workers migrate to “gig economy” jobs, that allow them to work sporadically around their own schedule using apps and other technology to find and maintain work.

A survey by Appjobs, a worldwide platform that helps connect these people to the work they want to do, has revealed that takeaway delivery, pet sitting and dog walking are the most popular roles among students. This is the work most likely to be taken up by students aged 15-24 according to the survey, which reveals a noticeable shift from traditional employment to the gig economy.

The reasons cited for the increase in popularity of gig work among students are; flexibility, instant pay and no micro management.

Appjobs, which enables users to select and compare app-based jobs in their city, has revealed the top five most popular jobs for June, July and August. They are:

1. Delivery services (22%)

2. Cleaning (11%)

3. Driving (10%)

4. Freelance (10%)

5. Pet Sitting/dog walking (9%)

Other popular summer jobs include babysitting (8%), selling online (4%), and teaching (4%).

Appjob’s figures also reveal significant growth within the app-gig economy globally. With traditional employment continuing to erode, increasing numbers of young people across the country are looking for short-term solutions that will provide them with additional funds instantly.

Speaking about the new research, Alok Alström, co-founder of Appjobs.com said the new figures demonstrate how popular the gig economy has become. “Technology has seen deliveries, pet sitting/dog walking and cleaning become the most popular options for students learning to earn money on the side this summer,” Alström said. “The digital on-demand principle and the instant economy is what has made app-jobs so successful. Users can gain employment and learn about a company in a matter of minutes, rather than days or weeks.”

While the benefits of the gig economy cannot be ignored, the practice has been criticised for a lack of benefits, job security and other protections.

Read More: Appjobs Gig economy