In this episode of “Try to Control Your Shock and Amazement”…
Let me first be clear. The purpose of my article is not to cast aspersions on the entire Gen Z population. Like every generation or demographic, some Gen Z-ers succeed beyond their expectations, others have successful careers, while some others flounder or fail. However, based on the results of a recent survey, Generation Z — people born between 1997 and 2012 — college graduates continue to be fired in “record numbers.”
Advertisement
Moreover, according to the survey, employers listed concerns in areas such as communication skills and professionalism that made them wary of hiring Gen Z employees in the future. Not only have six out of ten Gen Z college graduate employees been axed after having been hired earlier in the year, but one in seven employers said they lean toward not hiring any new college grads next year.
Here’s more:
Business leaders listed concerns in areas such as communications skills and professionalism that made them wary of hiring Gen Z.
They also said the workers of that age are often unmotivated and need to be constantly told what to do – rather than using their initiative – is another issue.
Three-quarters of companies surveyed said some or all of their recent graduate hires were unsatisfactory in some way.
A half said their Gen Z hires had a lack of motivation, making them difficult to work with.
Huy Nguyen, who works for the company that conducted the survey, wrote in his report:
Many recent college graduates may struggle with entering the workforce for the first time as it can be a huge contrast from what they are used to throughout their education journey. They are often unprepared for a less structured environment, workplace cultural dynamics, and the expectation of autonomous work. Although they may have some theoretical knowledge from college, they often lack the practical, real-world experience and soft skills required to succeed in the work environment.
Advertisement
“Education journey.” Yeah, let’s call it that.
The reality is that the state and focus of today’s American education system continue to deteriorate. We’ve seen it over and over: lower expectations and requirements for graduation from high school, the same reality for college admission. “Education enjoyment” vs. vs. merit-based focus. What we’ve seen and continue to see from a significant percentage of Gen Z college graduates in the workforce is a direct result.
To the point, HR consultant Bryan Driscoll argues that it is not just young employees presenting a problem, but the education system itself which is not preparing its graduates for the real world.
As someone who went through years of education, including law school, I can tell you this: colleges are not preparing students for real-world work. Education today emphasizes theory over practice. Sure, learning Greek mythology is fascinating, but unless you’re teaching it, how does that prepare you to communicate effectively in a corporate meeting or demonstrate professionalism? It doesn’t.
Exactly.
ALSO READ:
LA School District Allows Schools to Drop Standardized Testing, Embrace ‘Educational Enjoyment’
Harris Show Us How Much She Hates Merit: Vows to Dumb Down Federal Jobs and Stop Requiring Degrees
Advertisement
Driscoll further argues that the disconnect between higher education and the real-world workforce will likely not be solved without strong onboarding and mentorship to bridge the gap.
However, I argue that as long as a high school and college education continues to deteriorate, thus failing students, the problem will only worsen — regardless of the efforts of employers.
