As each generation enters the workforce, new information emerges about that generation’s character and how hiring companies should adapt to meet hiring challenges. At Tech One IT, we have been working with college graduates as part of our Technology Apprenticeship Program for years. In our opinion, many of the cultural stigmas placed on entire generations are unfair.

Still, some of them are rooted in the changes that occurred, culturally or technologically, since the generation was born. Understanding the world in which a particular generation was raised while keeping your mind open and not making presumptions can help in hiring and retaining the best talent available.

With that in mind, what do we know about Generation Z?

“Gen Z: Gen Z is the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012/15. They are currently between 6 and 24 years old (nearly 68 million in the U.S.)” (www.kasasa.com)

Gen Z is able to pivot easily.

The previous generation (Millenials) graduated in the midst of the Great Recession. The latest generation believed they would graduate during a strong economy only to be faced with COVID and the social and economic upheaval that it brought. The upside of that insecurity is their ability to pivot quickly. They are golden employees for remote working opportunities. They are tech-savvy and have enough confidence in crowd-sourcing tools to fix minor problems without leaning on managers for every minor issue.

Read More: The T-Shaped Employee & Remote Working

Gen Z is more racially and ethnically diverse than their predecessors.

“A new Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data finds that the “post-Millennial” generation is already the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, as a bare majority of 6- to 21-year-olds (52%) are non-Hispanic whites.” (pewresearch.org)

Why does this matter to hiring companies? The diverse nature of this generation brings a different perspective to the workforce.

In TAP, diversity takes into consideration social constraints, including heritage, financial standing (or class), cultural background (should that differ from heritage), race, gender, sexual orientation, place of birth, disability, and more. We do not track every element of diversity, but we do believe that our apprentices are varied by more than just the color of their skin.

By recruiting a diverse group of technology apprentices, we mentor an increased level of creativity, an increased focus as a group, and even an increase in profitability. (Read more: Diversity in TAP)

They are risk-averse

Possibly a result of growing up during the Great Recession, and now strengthened by their experience of 2020, Gen Z is not a risk-taking group. They may be more likely to hedge their bets by taking jobs that are practical. (Newsweek.com)

TAP has noticed a growing number of applicants as the program provides a steady and secure position where they will continue to learn on-the-job skills while also building their resume with tasks and company names that are not as readily accessible to other graduates.

They are tech-savvy

This goes without saying, but there’s one element of the tech-savvy individual that is often overlooked. Gen Z has faith in technology to catch errors. Their diligence for tasks like editing is not as strong as previous generations that grew up without the reliance on tech tools. TAP pays great attention to such details and strengthens the skills that were not always pushed to the forefront previously. In this way, (and many others) TAP is beneficial to employers and the apprentices that engage Tech One IT. 

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