Welcome to Fix the Disconnect

Gen Z and employers aren’t on the same page. There’s a disconnect that’s affecting the ability to effectively attract and retain bright diverse talent. 

The 2023/24 recruitment season revealed increased applications but lower quality, challenges with GenAI, and decreased student confidence, all amid political and economic instability.  

With deep insights from over a million students and 300+ leading employers, we’re uniquely positioned to help you bridge this gap.  

Now is the time to address these disconnects as we weave intersectionality into our diversity approaches, start to embrace GenAI usage and understand the expectations of the workplace, so we can build more inclusive workforces and enable Gen Z success.

GenAI

The last year has seen strong and rapid growth in the day-to-day use of GenAI to improve efficiencies amongst students and within hiring teams, as well as dominating conversations across the early careers space.

But where does Gen Z really stand on AI usage? What’s their perspective on your business perspective? What do they know about it that you don’t? And how can employers start their journey with AI? 

Employers and students chatting at Festival

The last year has seen strong and rapid growth in the day-to-day use of GenAI to improve efficiencies amongst students and within hiring teams, as well as dominating conversations across the early careers space.

But where does Gen Z really stand on AI usage? What’s their perspective on your business perspective? What do they know about it that you don’t? And how can employers start their journey with AI? 

GenAI in the workplace
GenAI in the workplace
How will AI change the face of the workplace in the future? And what appeals most to Gen Z?
GenAI in applications
GenAI in applications
Should students be using AI in applications? And how can employers address the challenges of AI-enabled apps?
Concerns about GenAI
Concerns about GenAI
What are the downsides of using AI in job applications? And is Gen Z concerned about them at all?
GenAI and your employer brand
GenAI and your employer brand
Gen Z is looking for forward-thinking companies who are embracing AI. Is there an opportunity for you to leverage your approach to AI in your attraction campaigns?

The Gen Z Skillset

There’s a disconnect between Gen Z and employers when it comes to skills valued in the workplace, which is preventing Gen Z from putting their best foot forward in application processes and preventing employers from seeing the true potential in candidates.

Do employers need to be clearer on what the most valuable skills are and how Gen Z should communicate them when applying to jobs? Where does Gen Z need the most support when it comes to valuable skills? And what does Gen Z have that employers aren’t tapping into yet? 

Employers and students chatting at Festival

There’s a disconnect between Gen Z and employers when it comes to skills valued in the workplace, which is preventing Gen Z from putting their best foot forward in application processes and preventing employers from seeing the true potential in candidates.

Do employers need to be clearer on what the most valuable skills are and how Gen Z should communicate them when applying to jobs? Where does Gen Z need the most support when it comes to valuable skills? And what does Gen Z have that employers aren’t tapping into yet? 

Gen Z's most valuable skills
Gen Z's most valuable skills
What are the most valuable skills that Gen Z can bring to the workplace? And how can employers get the most out of them?
The role of university in skill building
The role of university in skill building
Does university give students the right skills for the working world? Do employers need to play a bigger part in building the Gen Z skillset?

STEM Talent

There's a supply and demand issue in the STEM space. The subjects attract a narrow interest pool during school years and by university age, the pool is even smaller.

For Gen Z, there's a lack of understanding around what STEM careers can really look like, not enough diverse representation and a perceived inaccessibility to the sector. Pair this with heavy targeting from employers where the messaging can rarely cut through the noise and the disconnect between Gen Z and employers just keeps getting wider. 

Festival 23

There's a supply and demand issue in the STEM space. The subjects attract a narrow interest pool during school years and by university age, the pool is even smaller.

For Gen Z, there's a lack of understanding around what STEM careers can really look like, not enough diverse representation and a perceived inaccessibility to the sector. Pair this with heavy targeting from employers where the messaging can rarely cut through the noise and the disconnect between Gen Z and employers just keeps getting wider. 

Engaging with STEM talent
Engaging with STEM talent
How employers can be better engaging with Gen Z about STEM opportunities? Hear directly from the Gen Z perspective

In our 'Fix the disconnect' report, we highlight the biggest disconnects between Gen Z and graduate employers.

Using insights from our 1M+ Bright Network members and wider sector research, we explain why addressing these disconnects is essential for building better, more inclusive and more efficient recruitment strategies.

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