If you really want something, you can achieve anything. There is hardly a phrase I have heard more often in recent years. It carries the great promise that hard work pays off. But it also carries something else: the certainty that if someone doesn’t succeed, it’s their own personal failure.

Is everyone the architect of their own fortune?

I’ve now been working at Sindbad for six years. Sindbad is a mentoring programme that supports socio-economically disadvantaged young people as they transition from compulsory education. Over the past few years, we’ve enrolled more than 2,400 young people from across Austria in our programme. They receive guidance from volunteers aged 20-35, who build relationships with them, help with job applications, and support them in their career orientation. These mentors are there to answer questions and serve as an additional resource outside of friends and family. Over the years, I’ve heard countless personal stories that have reshaped my understanding of equal opportunities.

Time and again, I regret what can cause an educational journey to fail.
I hear about students who are familiar with only a fraction of available apprenticeships, making it difficult for them to find the right fit. I hear about applications being dismissed because they were sent without a subject line, out of ignorance. I hear about young people showing up inappropriately dressed for job interviews because they have no one to advise or prepare them.

Time and again, I question how much potential is being lost.
I hear about young men who aspire to become teachers but fail due to formal education requirements. I hear about young women offered apprenticeships on the condition that they remove their headscarves. I hear about young people who are constantly told about the shortage of skilled workers but still receive no response to dozens of job applications.

Time and again, I am amazed at what these young people achieve despite the numerous challenges they face.
I see the talents these young people possess that, unfortunately, are not recognised by the education system. I think about what it means for a city, a country, a society, a continent if we lose the potential of this next generation.

Time and again, I hope that the dream of equal opportunities will one day come true. That we will truly unlock the full potential of the next generation and train the skilled workers we so urgently need. That one day, I too will say and believe that everyone can achieve anything. But until these hopes become reality, we should all work to give as many young people as possible a perspective. Because in the end, it’s not just the young people who benefit, but also the economy, the country, and Europe as a whole.

Translated from German with ChatGPT.