workforce campusreview. com. au
Generation education
The difference between Millennials and Post-Millennials.
By Loren Smith
Ben Pilkington wants you to know that although Z follows Y alphabetically, the human generations are vastly different.
Generally, while Y values education, Z prefers experience. Y is optimistic, whereas Z prefers to be pragmatic. Y is rebellious, collaborative and searches for deeper meaning in things. Z, on the other hand, prefers security and independence.
Pilkington, who is the managing director of consumer and commercial research at ORC International, shared his company’ s insights on the youngest generation at the recent Universities Australia Higher Education Conference 2018.
“ They all look the same, so how do we differentiate Gen Ys from Gen Zs?” a bespectacled Baby Boomer audience member unironically asked him.“ They’ ve all got long, dark straight hair and big eyes.”
His answer? Perhaps unhelpfully, know their age. Gen Ys( also known as Millennials) were born between 1980 and 1996, making them between 21 and 37 years old. Gen Zs were born from 1997, so they are 20 or younger.
Because Gen Zs, unlike Gen Ys, are coming of age in the post-GFC world, they are inherently aware of reduced career opportunity in the traditional sense. That’ s why they are more savvy in choosing and more likely to pre-plan their professional paths.
Ruby,* 18, from Wollongong, fulfils this stereotype. Although she only finished school last year, she’ s been planning a career in nursing for three years. Now, however, she’ s taken time off as she’ s having second thoughts. She wants to ensure she makes the right choice – perhaps psychology is more her thing, she told us.
She mirrors Pilkington’ s finding that Gen Zs favour financial security in her statement that“ having a full-time job and a stable income is a current personal goal”.
Gen Zs are also more likely to consider creative pursuits, say, as a YouTuber or Instagram influencer, as these are seen to be more viable than conventional careers in, say, the financial sector.
“ It’ s not white collar or blue collar, it’ s no collar,” Pilkington snappily summated.
Somewhat curiously and contradictorily, Gen Z is also more likely than Gen Y to consider manual jobs, as these are perceived as more secure.
Also, as Gen Zs are true digital natives( they’ re often called the‘ iGeneration’), they are accustomed to the instant gratification the internet provides. This expectation extends to everything, including tertiary education content. Pilkington refers to Gen Zs as the“ 5 to 9, as opposed to 9 to 5 generation”, because they’ re always‘ on’( line).
Ruby disagrees with this. She doesn’ t always expect things to occur instantaneously. However, she concurs with another of Pilkington’ s claims: conventions aren’ t as important to Gen Z. Their casual attitude towards established institutions – work and university included – means they view these places as extensions of their homes. Consequently,“ culture is critical,” Pilkington advised. Whatever the environment, it should be nurturing. Additionally, Gen Z’ s will expect continual feedback.
Despite their overall preference for experience over education, Gen Zs still regard education as critical; they merely want it to be delivered in a more experiential way. This means, for instance, alongside coursework, work placements and connections with industry are crucial. Ruby is fully onboard with this assertion:“ Work placement is by far the most beneficial, as it allows you to physically see into what you’ re learning.” ■ * Name changed.
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