As recruiters, it’s important to understand the talent pool. This includes the prevailing skillsets, industry experience, and age demographics. Generation Z, known commonly as Gen Z, are made up of those born between 1997 and 2012. At the time of writing, Gen Z represents an estimated 32% of the global population and is expected to make up roughly 27% of the workforce by 2025. As such, it’s highly likely STEM businesses will be screening and hiring candidates from this generation. This is especially relevant given that recent research suggests 83% of manufacturing companies are experiencing labour shortages.
Gen Z characteristics predominantly stem from the modern age in which they were born. The group is defined as ‘digital natives’ due to spending much of their early lives surrounded by technology and having a presence on the internet. However, this is just one of the factors that make Gen Z who they are. The group’s priorities for work include:
- Flexible working arrangements.
- Opportunities to learn and develop.
- Career progression.
- Work fulfilment
- Diversity and inclusivity.
- Having financial security.
