Don’t look now, Generation Z is coming
Posted On January 29, 2015
Just when you think you’ve figured out how to handle the shifting perspectives and expectations of the Millennials (aka Generation Y), the next generation is nipping at their heels. The good news for most employers is that they aren’t quite ready to enter the workforce, but they are becoming a force on the consumer front, so if you pay attention, you may be better prepared when their resumes start landing in your inbox. Advertising Age has done a good job of providing an early profile of Gen Z, focusing on this consumer mindset. When reading through the traits they ascribe… Read More
Categories: iGen
Entitlement: Perhaps it’s not just for the kids
Posted On January 26, 2015
When considering the different generations in the workforce it is easy to slip into blame and pointing fingers: “Back in my day, we would never talk to our superiors like that” and “They are just so out of touch.” Some folks just like to simply deny the problem off the table: “Oh, the younger generations have always pushed limits, nothing to see here.” It’s not surprising that neither of these approaches helps attract, engage and retain a diverse workforce. But even as companies are looking at how to focus on the similarities between the generations (rather than complain about the… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Work, Workplace
Is Generation Z bigotry-proof?
Posted On January 8, 2015
Youthful idealism. Every generation has been accused of it, but a recent commentary by Bloomsberg View contributor Leonid Bershidsky suggests that for Generation Z (or iGeneration – born after 2000) this may be a lasting state. He writes “Gen Z may be different in being genuinely bigotry-proof. It may be the first generation for which diversity is a natural concept that will not be ruined by anything older people do or say.” This is not the main point in Bershidsky’s article, but it is what stood out when I heard him read it. Considering the younger generations’ views on gender… Read More
Categories: Generations, iGen
South Carolina is bringing apprenticeship back
Posted On January 6, 2015
With the movement of manufacturing jobs overseas, America largely lost the master-apprentice model of skill development. College transitioned from liberal arts to business prep. With manufacturing making a comeback, the need for vocational skills is growing and the labor force is not keeping up. In 2007, South Carolina recognized this gap and implemented an apprenticeship program with 777 individuals across 90 companies. In 2014, there are more than 670 companies participating and the program has reached 11,000 workers. NPR recently reported on the success of the S.C. program. Part of succession planning is passing along institutional knowledge from one generation… Read More
Categories: Generation Y / Millennials, Training Industry, Work, Workplace