Key points:
- Younger workers feel they’re at a disadvantage when it comes to workforce competitiveness
- How higher ed can meet workforce needs
- How to help students build critical success skills
- For more news on career readiness, visit eCN’s Teaching & Learning hub
Nearly two-thirds of surveyed Gen Z workers younger than 24 say they are dissatisfied with how their school or college prepared them for employment, according to a report from CYPHER Learning, provider of a learning platform for business and academic training.
The survey explores the career readiness challenges Gen Z workers face in transitioning from education to the workforce.
Sixty-three percent of respondents say they believe they lack the necessary skills to compete in today’s job market, and nearly 80 percent of individuals seriously considered leaving their jobs due to a perceived lack of professional development opportunities, compared to 54 percent of workers aged 45 and older.
Almost half (46 percent) of Gen Z identified as neurodiverse, and of these, more than half (60 percent) expressed dissatisfaction with the available career readiness training.
Fifty-three percent feel they are told they need improvement, yet are not provided with adequate training. Additionally, 52 percent believe that the training they do receive does not contribute to their career development.
Additional findings include:
- Fifty-two percent believe they have been sent to receive training that they consider to be useless.
- A majority (53 percent) feel that their company’s inadequate training is hindering their career progress.
- Eighty-eight percent of respondents said they would be moderately encouraged to enthusiastic and motivated if they were offered training programs specifically tailored to their individual needs and career aspirations.
- There is a prevailing distrust of Human Resources (HR) departments, with 51 percent of workers expressing a lack of trust. Among younger workers (18-24), this distrust is even more pronounced, with over 60 percent indicating a lack of faith in HR.
In fact, the results of other third-party surveys further validate the above statistics. In a survey conducted by The American Staffing Association, 70 percent of Gen Z workers view an employer’s professional development and training offerings as important considerations when accepting a new job. However, according to Gartner Research, 70 percent of employees report that they don’t have mastery of the skills needed to do their jobs, further emphasizing the need for effective training.
“The survey results point to the clear need for organizations to provide just-in-time, just for me, learning to empower employees, and in particular, Gen Z workers, with the skills they need to better develop their careers,” said John Kannapell, president and COO at CYPHER Learning.
This press release originally appeared online.
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