Camron Drummond, a young graduate, was featured in a Miami Herald story over the summer. In June, he attended a job fair at Amerant Bank Arena in South Florida. Drummond held a red folder full of resumes, seeking opportunities in IT fields. Employers included the Army, Navy, and several police departments. Despite his efforts, he only heard back from six out of the hundreds of jobs he applied for, with three responses being rejections. The furthest he advanced was to the final stage of an interview for a customer service position with a budget airline, which eventually stopped communicating.
While he waited for job offers, Drummond worked for DoorDash, earning about $300 a week by working seven hours a day. He stayed at his brother’s place, all while facing the burden of repaying $20,000 in student loans. During this period, the New York Federal Reserve noted that unemployment for Americans aged 22 to 27 with bachelor’s degrees was 5.6 percent in the second quarter. In July, the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 20 to 24 reached 9.7 percent before decreasing to 7.8 percent the following month.
A Stanford study highlighted that employment among early-career workers in highly AI-exposed occupations, such as IT, dropped by nearly 20 percent. Drummond, who studied computer science, described his experience as a harsh reality check, shared by many other young people. They took loans expecting a secure future, but now they face repayment with limited opportunities. This has become a political talking point, with Democrats viewing the young as victims of a flawed system, while Republicans argue the economy is strong.
Eventually, Drummond received a job offer for a customer service role at a car rental company, paying over $18 an hour. This reflects the availability of jobs, although not necessarily in the desired field. The challenge is that transitioning from a degree to a career is no longer straightforward.
Overall, college degrees do hold value, as seen with unemployment among those over 25 with degrees at 2.5 percent, compared to 4.4 percent for those with only a high school education. However, young graduates burdened with debt struggle to accept entry-level jobs with lower pay.
In the political realm, both parties recognize the significance of engaging young voters. In 2024, Republicans successfully reached young men by appearing on popular podcasts and YouTube shows. President Trump engaged with hosts like Theo Von, Logan Paul, and the Nelk Boys. His appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, with an audience comprised mostly of young men, underscored the Republicans’ outreach strategy. Meanwhile, Democrats missed potential opportunities, such as when Kamala Harris’s team did not finalize an appearance on Rogan’s show. Former candidate Andrew Yang criticized this decision.
For future elections, the key is not to copy past strategies but to address young voters effectively. A candidate must acknowledge economic issues like student debt and offer concrete solutions. While previous approaches proved young men could be reached, the challenge now is providing reasons for continued engagement.