Youth leaving Goa for better prospects

by Alishya Carvalho
Posted on 2008-12-27
There are a number of jobs available in Goa, but youth from Goa prefer working in metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Bangalore or rather go abroad and even onboard cruise liners, rather then stay on in the state. The reasons being, that employment opportunity available in Goa is limited and high paying jobs are not easily available. The average salary one draws is just enough to live a nominal life and fulfill the basic needs of the person and his/her family. Moreover, jobs here don’t offer much in terms of industry exposure. 
Today’s generation of educated youth will not settle for anything less than the best. They do not want to live a simple, mediocre existence as our predecessors did. We dream big. We dream of living the good life with all the possible luxuries - a plush apartment or house, fancy cars, designer clothes, the latest gadgets, holidays abroad and more. And what’s wrong with wanting to live a comfortable life?  
Today, educating a child is considered as an investment for the future. Parents spend a lot of money on their childrens’ education. Once the child grows into an adult he/she is expected to get a deserving and high paying job so that he/she can make up for all the money spent and give back by attending to the needs of the aged parents. And it is a fact, whether one acknowledges it or not, that by working abroad or on board the ship or in the metros, you earn nearly four times more the salary than what one would expect working in Goa. 
Salaries are one of the main reasons for educated youngsters to leave the state. Even the not-so-well educated youth leave Goa to work in some small firm abroad or aboard passenger ship. Like the rest of the youth, I too want to have a high standard of living and do really well for my family and myself. And to do that I see just one option - move out of Goa.