In May 2020, approximately 2 million students graduated with bachelor’s degrees from colleges in America alone, most of them will join the work force. They are however quite unique because they are the first group of Generation Z children to graduate, children who were born between 1996 and 2014. They follow the famous Millennials who so much has been written and debated about. What really makes them special though is that these Gen Z graduates are the ones who will be pivotal in creating the new normal way of working , they are the fresh, new minds who will be helping to rebuild the post pandemic world , they are the ones who will face off against Covid-19.
They have lost the first fight in that they have been cheated of their commencement celebrations, they have lost internship opportunities, those who have jobs have delayed starting dates and those without jobs are facing an uphill battle to find jobs. However, I agree wholeheartedly with President Obama when he said in his commencement speech to graduates, “this is your generation’s world to shape “and even more poignant, “the power rests in your hands”. But how prepared are they for the fight?
Firstly, they are already entrepreneurs, 9 out of 10 of them started a business in high school or earlier and know how to earn and invest funds, they are self-sufficient and rely much less on their parents than other generations. This means they are more equipped to face the post Covid-19 economy. They have never seen a world without the internet, they text and message with frightening ease, they can function brilliantly with reduced social interaction. They are technologically savvy, came out of the womb with a smart phone in their hands; they are not intimidated by change, creating new pathways is already second nature to them, a ravaged world will be an exciting challenge. Searching the internet is a pastime that they are ultra-comfortable with and consequently they are adept at absorbing tremendous information; information is power more so now and they know how to access and process it. All of this makes them highly motivated and self-confident some say self-absorbed, but this strong sense of self will auger well in a world that has battered people’s egos and confidence.
Most importantly, they are fearless. The hurdles that we see, they look right past them because they are focused on the end game and they know that they have the ability to surmount the challenge. It’s not that they see opportunities within problems, it’s that they don’t see problems. They are driven and motivated by acquisitions and expansion not titles and awards, by the need to make everything work for them in the best possible way. They are risk takers and natural leaders in a world that will sorely need these skills. If you think about it, some of them were not unduly perturbed by the loss of a graduation function, they were more disappointed for their parents. They are pragmatic, focused and resilient yet sensitive and environmentally conscious. Their concern is how quickly they can turn Covid-19 challenges into the opportunities of a lifetime.
Our role, if we choose to accept it, is to guide them when necessary, coach them when needed and lend advice when asked. Let’s get behind the Gen Zers, the future belongs to them and they will not be losing any more fights.
Inspired by my Gen Z son, Jaden Maxwell Wright, a 2020 Engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic… my muse.
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