经济学人：哪怕工作再难找，年轻人都别陷入跑外卖、送快递的泥潭

作者：经济学人        来源：一天一篇外刊

For the past five years, 29-year-old Ridhwan Danial has been spending up to 16 hours a day, six days a week navigating Singapore's roads as a delivery rider.

在过去五年里，新加坡的29岁小伙里德万·丹尼尔（Ridhwan Danial）一直当外卖骑手，他每周工作六天，每天最多要跑16个小时。

He has tried to pivot out of platform work, but his Higher Nitec qualification from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) is in facility management, a field he no longer wishes to pursue.

他也想过转行，不再做平台接单的工作，但他在工艺教育学院（ITE）读的 Higher Nitec 是设施管理相关，而如今的他，早已不想从事这个领域了。

Platform work has grown increasingly popular as a career option both globally and in Singapore in recent years, driven by factors such as flexible schedules, greater autonomy, the ability to draw earnings daily or weekly rather than monthly, and the relatively low barriers to entry.

近年来，无论在全球还是在新加坡，平台接单工作作为一种职业选择都越来越受欢迎。这主要得益于工作时间灵活、自主性更强，收入可按日或按周结算而不必等到按月发薪，以及入行门槛相对较低等因素。

As more young people turn to platform work, concerns are growing about the impact on their long-term career mobility – especially for those who remain in such jobs longer than intended and may not be fully prepared or informed about its longer-term consequences.

随着越来越多的年轻人投身平台接单工作，人们也越来越担心这会影响他们个人的长期职业发展与上升空间。尤其是那些在这类工作中待得比原计划更久的人，他们可能并未充分了解或做好准备去应对这种选择带来的长期影响。

While many young workers are initially drawn to gig work for its perceived flexibility and autonomy, several eventually find themselves slogging away at a "hand-to-mouth job" with limited long-term prospects for career or income growth, noted researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Social Service Research Centre and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in 2023.

2023年，新加坡国立大学（NUS）社会服务研究中心与政策研究所（IPS）的研究人员指出，许多年轻人起初被零工经济的“灵活”和“自主”等特点吸引，但后来不少人发现自己只能在一份“勉强糊口的工作”中苦撑，无论是职业发展还是收入提升，长远来看都很难有起色。

In their ongoing study on in-work poverty among the young, the researchers said that unlike other blue-collar roles that offer some progression and wage increments, platform work often lacks long-term sustainability, clear career pathways and social protection.

研究人员在一项仍在进行的“青年在职贫困”研究中指出：与蓝领岗位相比，他们通常还有一定的晋升空间和加薪机会。而平台接单工作往往难以长期维持，缺乏清晰的职业发展路径，也缺少相应的社会保障。

The study also found that given their qualifications and skill sets, many platform workers frequently experience horizontal rather than upward mobility – meaning they are typically able to find only roles with similar responsibilities and pay, rather than higher-ranking jobs with better wages.

研究还发现，受限于学历与技能结构，许多平台接单者更容易出现“横向流动”而非“向上流动”——也就是说，他们通常只能找到职责和薪酬相近的工作，而难以进入职位更高、工资更好的岗位。

While a short stint in platform work may not be harmful, experts cautioned that the longer one remains, the harder it may become to re-enter traditional employment.

虽然短期从事平台接单工作不一定会带来负面影响，但专家警告：一旦在其中停留得越久，之后要重新进入传统就业市场就可能越困难。

作者：经济学人        来源：一天一篇外刊