Employability and Industrial Mutations

Introduction to Part 2

From the creation of employability to its consequences on careers: the three analytical contributions in this part describe the difficulties encountered and the strategies implemented by individuals to develop their employability and to achieve or not achieve their career choices. Based on various profiles (excluded, unemployed, freelance computer scientists or employees), several dynamics or impossibilities appear. This dialogue between several totally opposed, even unprecedented, but complementary cases shows that employability must emerge and then be built up over the long-term.

Chapter 4, written by Raymonde Ferrandi, highlights the fact that employability and access to work are not always thought through and allowed. Based on her experience as a psychologist working in social services to help people integrate into society and the labor market, the author shows that employability is not always based on choice or obligation. Individuals are faced with strong constraints beyond their control. Thus, age, social origin, disability, physical appearance and religious symbols are presented as obstacles to work. They can be similar to discrimination and prevent people from evolving. All these constraints, which are independent of the will or ability of individuals, must not hide individual obstacles. Not everyone can think of themselves as employable or capable of working. Using the example of the children of the Shoah, the author emphasizes the lack of structuring ...