Page 243 - IELTS Preparation Grammar and Vocab

The world of work 40

Economic migration

FRI Read the text and underline the pans which give you the information in these sentences.
Paula found Ireland depressing.
1 3
Paula expected to find a good job in Ireland.
2 4
Paula is not sorry she moved to New York.
Paula was determined to be promoted.
Ireland's brain drain
Complete with a degree from a top Irish University and ready to join the world of work Paula
McGrath struggled to find a job at home, so she decided to try her luck in the USA and escape the
doom and gloom of the Irish economy. Now she can be found working in a restaurant in NewYork.

I graduated in Media Studies and came here to the US, which for many is the land of opportunity. I
haven't landed the job of my dreams yet, but the excitement of living and working in a city like New York
is like a dream come true in itself.
I always thought that I would stay in Ireland after I had graduated. The days when the country had a
thriving economy were long gone, but there were still jobs for the more educated members of the
workforce. At university I was aware that I couldn't wait for a job opportunity to spring up though,
as there were plenty of people to fill gaps in the labour market when jobs were created.
At the same time Ireland was continuing to churn out more and more highly educated and highly
motivated graduates, so I needed a plan to be able to compete. I decided that I would study as hard
as I could and get the grades I needed to embark on a career.
I graduated with good grades and I was lucky enough to find a job in Dublin that had really good
prospects. From my first day there I imagined myself climbing the corporate ladder and becoming an
executive in the company. It was not to be though; after six months the company went bust and, all of
a sudden, I found myself without a job.
I spent about six months trying to find a permanent job, but apart from some freelance work I couldn't
find anything. I started to feel my work ethic disappear. It was at this point that I decided that it was time
for a change. I came to the decision that I would try my luck in America. I applied for and got my visa
and I haven't looked back since.

al Find words and phrases in italics from the text which match these definitions.
all the workers in a particular company, city, country, etc.
workforce.
2
self-employed and working for many organisations
atmosphere of hopelessness
3
4
belief in the importance of work to life
5
produce something quickly and in large quantities
6 chances to be successful in the future
7

appeared suddenly
8
successful and profitable
FR3 I
Answer these questions which include phrases from the text. Use a dictionary to help you.
1
Why are immigrants sometimes needed to fill gaps in the labour market?
2
What kind of people want to climb the corporate ladder?
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