The cusp from studentship to employment was particularly difficult in Argentina in the early 2000s. The prosperity of the ’90s was cut down abruptly leaving an unpleasant memory to Argentinians.

When I began studying Industrial Engineering in1998, Argentina seemed to be a flourishing economy and many international companies were heavily investing in the country. Three years later I began looking for a job, but things were not so easy. It was the beginning of 2001 and most of my colleagues were struggling (as I was) to find an internship. By December 2001 I have gotten a call from one of the most interesting companies to work in Argentina. I had been chosen among hundreds of candidates to be part of one of their most important internship programmes. My career as an engineer was having a great beginning. During the ‘90s, thanks to “convertibility” Argentina was able to stabilise its currency. After many years of uncontrolled inflation we were definitely able to have a valuable currency. The country was experiencing a transformation. We were developing an economy based on services and knowledge. The government sold most public services companies, which were inefficient and were losing money. Public services rapidly improved and companies that were burning money were now competitive and generating income. But many lost their jobs.

The government sold most public services companies, which were inefficient and were losing money. Public services rapidly improved and companies that were burning money were now competitive and generating income. But many lost their jobs

The unemployment issue was aggravated by the fact that many companies were shut down.  Those companies could not compete with the products from all over the world that were arriving to Argentina. This made unemployment rates rise and most people who lost their jobs during these years were unable to find a new one: they did not have the required skills. Many people who were used to be “middle-class” were now facing a situation they would have never imagined. They were used to having their car, their holidays, their comfortable lives… but now all of a sudden everything was gone. Unemployment made the gap between rich and poor grow outrageously and with it social unrest. Many groups were now demonstrating in the streets asking for a change. The country was facing a great fiscal deficit, but thanks to international loans we were able to sustain it. But when we were not able to take more loans, then things changed violently.

In 1999 the government changed rapidly. However, this change faced strong political attacks and social unrest was even encouraged by some political actors. By the end of 2001 the situation could not be handled any longer. I could see on TV how people looted supermarkets, many people were suffering undernourishment and in the end we were not able to access the money we had in the banks. On 19^th December there was a massive protest. In the next days there were many encounters between the police and demonstrators and everything ended with our President escaping in a helicopter. As far as I am concerned, my internship programme with that company was not cancelled, but after finishing it, it took me almost two years to get my first job. It is not clear enough how much of what we lived those days was spontaneous or prepared by other political forces opposing the government. Nonetheless that was a terrible year. It was the same year when the “cacerolazo” was born. It is the way we protest around here: we take our casseroles and noisily beat them. And last on 8^th November this noise has been heard again in the streets of Buenos Aires. Argentina is a country used to crisis. It is as if we have a ten years cycle: every ten years everything falls apart and seems that the end of our country is about to come. But in the end, we are always able to face reconstruction… once again.