Article published in SD resonates across business and arts communities

The study entitled “Youth Unemployment in the Age of Information and Technology: A Comparison of OECD Countries and Türkiye”was authored by Assoc. Prof. Pınar Akıncı Acar and Assoc. Prof. Öznur Gülen Ertosun from the School of Business and Management Sciences at Istanbul Medipol University. Following its publication in SD: Journal of Health Thought and Medical Culture, the study attracted significant attention from both cultural circles and the business community, evolving into an influential reference source.
 

The research comparatively examined the effects of transforming labour markets on young people in the age of information and technology, drawing on data from OECD countries and Türkiye. Particular attention was given to the impact of digitalization, artificial intelligence, automation processes, and evolving models of work on youth employment.
 

WHY ARE YOUNG PEOPLE UNEMPLOYED IN THE DIGITAL AGE?
The study emphasized that youth unemployment is not merely an economic indicator but has become a multidimensional crisis with individual, social, and economic consequences. Through comparative analyses of OECD countries and Türkiye, the research explored in detail the effects of digital transformation and technology-driven economic models on younger generations.

According to the findings, youth unemployment extends far beyond the inability to earn an income. It directly affects young people’s opportunities to continue their education, gain professional experience, and formulate future plans. The study also highlighted that long-term unemployment may contribute to psychological challenges such as diminished self-confidence, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness.

The article further noted that unemployed young people who become detached from social life may experience feelings of loneliness and exclusion, thereby deepening problems related to social cohesion. The growing number of young people who are neither in education nor employment was identified as a critical risk not only for labour markets but also for social structures and social solidarity.

The research also drew attention to the economic dimension of youth unemployment. The exclusion of young people from productive processes results in a loss of labour capacity, with direct implications for economic growth, tax revenues, and social welfare expenditures.

Furthermore, the study emphasized that, in the age of technology, possessing a diploma alone is no longer sufficient. Digital competencies, interdisciplinary thinking, adaptability, and lifelong learning have become defining characteristics within the emerging workforce structure.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH RESONATES WITHIN THE CULTURAL AND ARTS SECTOR
Following its publication, the study also attracted the attention of Vox Artistica, a platform producing interdisciplinary content in the fields of culture and the arts. In its feature entitled “Two Short Films on Youth and Futuritylessness” which explored themes of youth and uncertainty about the future, the platform cited the Medipol academics’ research as a principal reference source.

As a result, the academic study on youth unemployment gained visibility not only within the fields of social policy and economics but also within broader discussions concerning cultural production and contemporary youth experiences.

INVITATION FROM TÜSİAD
The study’s impact within the business community became evident through an invitation from the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD). Drawing on the research as a reference, TÜSİAD invited the academics to participate in the Employment and Social Security Working Group meeting held on 12 May 2026. 

The meeting, conducted in a hybrid format at TÜSİAD’s headquarters in the Pera district of Beyoğlu, focused on the evolving dynamics of youth unemployment, labour market data for 2025–2026, employment policies in the age of artificial intelligence, and future models of work.

Representing the university, Assoc. Prof. Pınar Akıncı Acar delivered a presentation based on the study, evaluating the current state of youth unemployment through comparative analyses of OECD countries and Türkiye.
 

DISCUSSING THE NEW WORKFORCE MODEL
The meeting featured comprehensive discussions on the changing expectations of young employees, remote and hybrid working models, sustainable employment policies, digital skills transformation, and institutional adaptation to a new generation of workers.

Bringing together representatives from academia, the private sector, and policymaking circles, the meeting underscored the need to address youth unemployment not only from an economic perspective but also through its social, cultural, and technological dimensions. The data and analyses presented through the research were regarded by participants as an important framework for shaping the workforce policies of the future.