How to Plan for Tomorrow’s Workforce
Employers wondering what the next generation of workers is looking for in their employment experience and what they will expect from their employers will find valuable insights in the 2024 Career Interest Survey from the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). More than 10,000 high school and college students born after 1997 — Gen Zers — from all the U.S. states and territories participated in the biannual survey; 86% were high school students, 70% of whom were to graduate in 2024 or 2025.
In broad terms, the survey sought input from the students in four areas: career aspirations and employment preferences, education and student debt, social and political engagement and perspectives on artificial intelligence. This coverage of the survey focuses on the first.
Which fields are survey participants planning to or currently majoring in? Luckily for many employers, about half plan STEM majors. Specifically, 18% said engineering, 15% sciences, 10% technology and computers and 6% math.
Photo: Getty Images
What is most important to the survey respondents as they envision entering the workforce? Eighty-six percent say gaining skills to advance their career — the strongest response rate by far of the options presented. A distant second at 44% is pathways to promotion. Other employment aspirations to choose from were opportunities to work on a team (22%), mentorship opportunities (20%), international work travel (17%) and work travel in the U.S. (7%).
Memo to Employers
As for expectations of how their employer should invest in the survey respondents, 67% expect in-person training. The next most common expectation is leadership development training, at 48%. Runners-up are tuition reimbursement for a Master’s or other post-graduate degree (41%), a mentoring program (36%) and online training (16%).
It’s not too early for Gen Zers to be thinking about the kind of workplace experience they look forward to. Most, 57%, want clear health and safety guidelines. An easy commute is indicated by 52%. Rounding out the five options presented, 37% seek modern amenities and office space, 27% indicate the opportunity to work from home and 15% ticked dress code/exceptions.
What qualities should survey respondents’ bosses or management have? Forty-eight percent are looking for managers with good and clear communications skills. Honesty and integrity are identified by 33%. Twenty percent look to work from someone they can learn from. Supportiveness is important to 17%, and problem-solving skills to 14%.
NSHSS says 92% of its scholars anticipate being involved in an internship, and 70% are extremely or very interested in a certification course to facilitate being in one.
NSHSS says 92% of its scholars anticipate being involved in an internship, and 70% are extremely or very interested in a certification course to facilitate being in one. The top three benefits of internship, according to the survey, are skill development and training (43%), exploring career interest (25%) and future full-time employment (13%).
Other themes addressed in the survey may also be of interest as employers consider what’s important to this next-gen workforce. The full survey can be found at www.nshss.org.
