Tracking Gen Z’s Attitudes on The Future of School & Work

Published 24 May 2021

Author
Elspeth Taylor
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As the Gen Z (born 1996-2009) workforce is set to triple, reaching 51 million employees by 2030, brands and employers must understand this demographic’s future outlook. In their latest report, professional services network EY digs into Gen Z’s expectations and priorities for future education and the world of work. We highlight five key findings.

Tracking Gen Z’s Attitudes on The Future of School & Work

The Gen Z workforce is set to triple, reaching 51 million employees by 2030
  • Rethinking Traditional Education: Academic-focused education is failing Gen Z, with only 54% thinking their education has prepared them for future success – a theme we explore in Future-Proof Education. After Gen Z consumers enter the working world, there is a further 10% drop in confidence that their schooling has made them ready for the workplace.
  • Embracing Hybridity: A surprising 75% of students want to continue virtual education to some degree after the pandemic, with one in four saying its potential for creativity and innovation resonates with them. See New-Era Education for dynamic remote teaching applications.
  • Altruistic Aspirations: Gen Z is looking beyond immediate academic achievement and job-seeking. Some 55% of the survey respondents are hopeful they will find meaningful, global problem-solving work by 2025, rising to 82% by 2030. Modern education initiatives, like those we profile in The Brief, are therefore set to resonate with Gen Z.
  • Entrepreneurs Rising: A significant 65% of working Gen Z anticipate they will be running their own business in 10 years, while 47% think entrepreneurship education would help them when transitioning from students to workers.
  • Open-Minded Outlook: While only 40% of over-30s feel optimistic about automation in the workplace, 72% of Gen Z feel positive about this growing workplace trend. This perhaps owes to the fact that 84% of this demographic feel confident using technology.

Look out for our 2021 update of The Future Consumer Lifecycle series, rolling out from June 21.