Inspired by this Guardian article on joblessness in Europe, today I tweeted about the myth of the “skills gap” – a catchphrase frequently trotted out to explain away mass unemployment among the young. I will write about this more in the future, but for now, the tweets:

One of the most pernicious myths of the prestige economy is the “skills gap”.

There is no skills gap. The best-educated generation in history has skill to spare. What they do not have are opportunities.

“Skill” has been redefined as a specific corporate contribution. You cannot obtain “skill” through university, no matter your major.

You cannot obtain “skill” upon hire. Companies have ended on the job training. They have replaced entry level jobs with unpaid internships.

Young workers are not able to prove their abilities. The only thing companies want them to prove is that they are willing to work for free.

The myth of the “skills gap” serves to blame individuals for a systemic problem. It moves attention away from mass corruption in hiring.

There is no skills gap. There is an opportunity gap.

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