At some point in every student’s life, they take on the unenviable role of disgruntled graduate.
“Where are the jobs?” is the outcry, the unifying banner of a young adult demographic faced with the prospect of deciding their futures. “Where am I going?” This uncertainty is hard enough without being told their qualification is useless, yet with Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham’s recent declaration that creative arts diplomas are a “lifestyle choice”, creative graduates are feeling more lost than ever.
The Minister held a press conference on Monday the 24th October, stating, “Currently there are far too many courses that are being subsidised that are used simply to boost enrolments, or provide ‘lifestyle’ choices that don’t lead to work.”
After graduation, employment avenues can be stringent in expectations and scarce in nature. The year 2016 brings with it an influx in live producers, visual artists, graphic designers, actors and musicians - all vying for their place in ‘real life’. Yet real life is intimidating, and there’s more at stake than financial security and employment; now more than ever it’s an issue of post-grad mental health and uncertainty.
In a society where the unemployed are often thought inferior, the shrinking job market is producing a pressurised environment where stability is valued over passion. For creative graduates it can be hard to decide whether you want to follow your initial career trajectory, taking on freelance or casual roles to gain experience, or take on a full time job in a more ‘stable’ industry. With many graduates facing pressure from their parents and families to seek security as soon as possible, it makes the decision even harder – sacrificing passions for finances has become an all too familiar necessity.
With such a large population of creatives in the Illawarra, the Minister’s statement was greeted with communal outrage. After being told that their hard earned qualification will earn them no more than freelance or hobby work, it’s little wonder that such a large proportion of creative graduates seek full time work in more conventionally valuable industries.
The University of Wollongong’s second year performance students recently performed a production entitled ‘Aberration’, which actor Maddi Behringer describes as “A bunch of short scenes that expose crucial social issues from a first hand perspective. Each scene only lasts as long as it needs to - the show is an hour of wicked humour, excruciating sadness and triumphant joy”.
It’s these types of productions that foster growth and learning opportunities, but they couldn’t exist without education - not lifestyle choices. This show, like many others, reflected a social dynamic and was used to invoke critical thought. It called for reactions and social change, but instead of being glossed over like political jargon, it engaged audiences.
“The people I spoke to afterwards said they felt a real connection to the issues we raised - homophobia, violence, drug-use, sexism and more. Which is great - we want people to have a strong reaction to the content, whether it be good or bad,“ said Behringer.
With the employment market already so limited, the lack of faith and encouragement in our creatives is emblematic of a society that places more value on financial status than quality of life. A recent viral Facebook post illustrated what a simple date would be like if creative employment ceased to exist - with no movies, art galleries or theatre, how would you enjoy yourself? Creative industries are a necessity, but they won’t exist unless we give them the support they require.
