Staggering Rise in Youth Unemployment
Illume Fellowships & Internship Applications for June-Aug Cohort 2025 Open
After a few months of break, a new baby and a wrap up of an exciting project with our international- Indonesian students, we’re back. This year, we focus on narrowing the gap of unemployment and underemployment for our youth.
Rising Youth Unemployment has become a Global Challenge. In 2025, the global youth unemployment rate stands at 13%. That’s nearly three times higher than the general unemployment rate of 4.9%. And 1 in 5 young people aren’t in a job, school, or training—two-thirds of them are young women (ILO 2025).
"Why are so many young people struggling? One major reason: a mismatch between what they learn and what employers need. Many graduates find themselves overqualified for some jobs, or lacking the right skills for others.
Enter artificial intelligence. AI is transforming the world of work—creating new opportunities, but also threatening traditional jobs. As one of the investors points out that Graduate hiring is affected with the rise of AI.Why companies aren't hiring as many graduates?
What can graduates do about it?
Just getting a Degree is not sufficient anymore but acquiring skills that the employers are looking for- both hard-skill and soft-skills. There are numerous platforms, youtube and online resources that can provide you with the knowledge but how do you prove that you can apply your skills in a job setting? That’s where Internships and Fellowship programs are helpful.
Internships and real-world experience not only provide you the opportunity to put your theory into practice but give you the opportunity to develop critical skills like problem-solving, team-work, communication skills which are essential to succeed in any workplace setting.
Find mentors who not only guide you but also become your sponsor referring you to opportunities and becoming your ‘advocate’.
Find a community of like-minded individuals where you can grow your network and develop your professional circle eg- if you are a developer, find a developer group
Understand the impact that AI might have for your role and how you might prepare for this. Eg learn AI basics
Think like an entrepreneur, being resourceful and resilient and how to make the best of a given situation. Rather than thinking, ‘I don’t have a job, think how could I create a job for myself and others’.
For young people, the future belongs to those who adapt and learn new skills. While it may seem ‘dark and gloomy with the rise of AI’ but by adapting to work alongside AI, developing skills that makes us ‘human’ something that AI can’t do- like empathy, leadership, social connection and by leveraging our talent and adaptive mindset we can overcome these challenges.
What are your plans to stay ahead?
Signing off…
Laxmi (Director, Illume Foundation)
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Illume Fellows’ Experience Corner📝
What is it like to intern at a startup? See our Illume alumni, Dega, sharing his experience. Learn more about our Startup Internship & Fellowship, here.
Photo: Dega at his internship
🔔What’s happening at the Foundation?
Congratulations! to our first International cohort of Fellows as part of Illume’s Global Entrepreneurship & Startup Immersion Program brought together by The Melbourne Business School and the Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA).
As part of the program, the students spent 6 weeks in Melbourne, interning at innovative startups, learning about creating their own ventures, pitching to investors and immersing in Melbourne’s startup and innovation hub and cultures. More on this to follow :)
Photo: IISMA-E Awardees in Melbourne
💥Startup Internship and Fellowship:- Applications Open 💥
💡 Did you know that Illume placements are eligible for course credit?
Whether you’re a current student or already graduated, Illume startup internship & fellowship helps you gain the practical work experience before you embark on your career + meet some interesting founders to develop develop your entrepreneurial mindset.
📌Applications are now open for Winter 2025 Cohort ( June to Aug 2025)
Upcoming Program: VC Fellowship
Are you a founder who is fundraising or a student/professional keen to understand about the venture capital space, analyse business and kickstart your career in investment/startup?
Join our VC Fellowship Class for Aug 2025 Intake.
That’s all for now folks! See you in our next edition.