Generation Z: ‘A Hungry Generation’

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on members of Generation Z is strongly influencing their desire for in-person training, their career choices, and the employer benefits they value, according to a survey of 10,072 students and young adults born after 1997.

It’s something for employers to keep in mind as they craft benefits for the job candidates of the future.

“Because of COVID, so many haven’t had the training opportunities and the networking that other generations have had previously,” said Jim Lewis, president of the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), which conducted the survey Jan. 17 to March 6.

The NSHSS is a membership-by-invitation organization for students whose grade point average meets the organization’s rigorous academic criteria, according to Lewis. Students primarily are high school sophomores and juniors.

Of the survey respondents, 42% were white, 18% were Latino, 14% were Black, 10% were multiracial, 9% were Asian American/Pacific Islander, and 1% were Native American/Alaska Native (6% identified as “other” or did not identify their ethnicity). High school students made up the majority of the respondents (86%).

As a result of being isolated during the pandemic, “they want to be interacting with people to get leadership experience, they want to understand career paths,” Lewis said. “They’ve been isolated, and they feel a real hunger for knowledge and the ability to be in a professional environment, learning from peers, gaining valuable skills. This is a hungry generation.”

AI and Jobs

Nearly two-thirds of the survey respondents (64%) said they use artificial intelligence in work, studies, or everyday life, primarily for brainstorming (39%) and proofreading (33%). However, one-fourth (24%) said they are very or extremely worried that AI will displace jobs they’re interested in. Another 38% expressed some concerns, 26% had few worries about job elimination, and 12% weren’t at all worried about the possibility of jobs they are interested in being replaced by AI.

“For a young high school student or college student trying to determine their career path, the jobs they are thinking about may not be around by the time they graduate from college,” Lewis said. “There is that natural fear about: ‘What is the future going to be looking like? What are the opportunities?’ ”

In fact, a recent survey from Intelligent.com found that increased use of ChatGPT and other AI in the workplace could reduce opportunities for students seeking internships or entry-level jobs. Those findings were based on responses from 804 hiring managers surveyed in April.

“Some of those more routine jobs that can be done through an AI process will be eliminated,” Lewis noted, creating uncertainty among students about whether the high cost of an education is worth it and whether the careers they will prepare for will still exist when they graduate.

More than half of the respondents to the NSHSS survey (55%) also are skeptical about whether their private information will remain private with AI usage. They’re concerned about hacking, according to Lewis.

“This generation grew up with … access to the internet, and they’re trying to determine what’s truthful and what’s not truthful. They know, every day, the systems are breaking down, and [they are] worried about hacking. They’re concerned about their personal privacy,” he said.

A Heads-Up for Employers

Certification—whether through an employer or as a personal initiative—interests 70% of the respondents as a pathway to prepare them for the future. Additionally, 90% expect to complete an internship—with skill development and career exploration among their top reasons for interning. Only 13% said they see an internship as a springboard to future employment with the company.

Health benefits are of major importance to Generation Z, cited by about three-fourths of the respondents (74%). It outstripped flexible work schedules (61%) and work/life balance (25%) in popularity.

“When families are struggling with tighter budgets … it’s having a major impact on decisions they’re going to make. I think it’s discussed at the kitchen table. I think families are well aware of the high cost of health care these days, and it also ties in with the COVID experience and the cost associated with the insurance companies,” Lewis said.

He said he believes family members’ health-related concerns have influenced Generation Z’s interest in specific career fields. Their top areas of interest are medicine and related fields (24%) and health care (22%). Engineering ranked third (18%).

“A lot of students want to have an impact on society, and when they see a family member going through cancer or other health-related issue, this generation wants to make a difference. They’ve been personally affected by someone dealing with a health issue,” he said. “They want their career to be focused on that.”