When Dunia Skaunicova graduated in media marketing from Prague's Metropolitan university she quickly found a dream first job at a startup in the Czech capital, where companies were fighting to snap up multilingual graduates.

Months later, however, she suddenly found herself back looking for work after losing her job as the coronavirus pandemic hit the Czech economy. This time around she is struggling.

The pandemic has effectively pulled away the first rung of the jobs ladder for many young Europeans, a situation economists say has the potential to blight their employment and earnings prospects long term.