学校と職業社会の接続
増加するフリーター経由の移行
2002 年 70 巻 p. 59-74
詳細
2002 年 70 巻 p. 59-74
In the 1990s, there was a rapid increase in the number not only of young jobless people, but also of “free-ters, ” or young part-time or temporary employees in low-skilled jobs.
The first purpose of this paper is to explain the transformation of the youth labor market that lies behind these figures. The second purpose is to explain the process of youth getting regular employment after experiencing a period of “free-ter”-ism or unemployment. And the third is to examine the problem of this new transition process, and how schools should cope with it.
The demand for young persons as regular employees has decreased, especially that for persons under 24 years old or whose educational background is low. Low skilled jobs, which were once the entrance to high skilled jobs in Japanese employment practice, have become separated from the work of regular employees, becoming jobs for part-time or temporary workers.
Based on original investigations targeting young people living in the Tokyo metropolis, we tried to clarify why and how they had become “free -ters, ” and when they had become regular workers. The main findings were as follows;(a) 40% of the persons who experienced “free-ter” status currently were regular employees.(b) Most “free-ters” chose this working style while searching for a career, recognizing that it involved unfavorable working conditions.(c) Few of their experiences during the “free -ter” period were related to their career search.(d) Though it is easy for men to change to regular employee status after being “free-ters, ” it is not so easy for women. It is easy for those who have only been “freeters” for a year who have become regular employees. And (e), the younger the generation, the greater the number is who become “free-ters.”
It seems unlikely that the number of “free-ters” will decrease among persons of low educational background. In the past, the development of the occupational ability of young people was shouldered by the enterprise which they entered, but the situation is changing and it is necessary for schools to be more responsible for the development of the occupational ability of young people.
