According to studies and surveys, Gen Z is not really popular in the job market. But in one industry, they are outpacing even the Millennials.
Where is Gen Z in demand? According to new figures for the year 2022 from a commission from the United States (via eeoc.gov), entry-level workers in the tech industry are on the rise. Here they are already establishing themselves as more popular in hiring than their slightly older predecessors from Generation Y.
In surveys among employers, Gen Z often fares rather poorly, as we present to you, for example, in the course of this article with opinions from the UK or based on figures from the USA elaborated here.
Who is Generation Z again? They are also called Zoomers and were born between 1996 and 2012. Before them come the Millennials or Generation Y starting from 1980. The Baby Boomers began their lives in the post-war era. The birth years of Generation X are from 1965 to 1979. Those who saw the light of day in 2012 or later belong to Generation Alpha.
Gen Z on the rise in Tech
How popular is Gen Z according to figures among employers? Generally, young people aged between 25 and 39 are disproportionately represented in the tech industry. This includes the oldest of Gen Z and roughly the middle of Gen Y. Their share is significantly higher at around 41 percent than the scant third they make up in the total workforce in the USA.
However, a look at the growth of employees under 25 shows how rapidly entry-level workers from Gen Z are establishing themselves in the tech industry. Between 2014 and 2022, their numbers grew here 20 times faster annually than in the working population overall. This means: They are extremely popular as workers in the tech sector – more so than Gen Y or the even older Gen X.
Companies are rejuvenating themselves especially from the middle. The share of all tech workers “65 or older” has grown even more significantly each year: by 10 percent annually and about twice the economic average. Seniors who do not want to retire show high motivation to stay on board in the tech industry and receive support from companies.
The weakest growth is seen among 40- to 54-year-olds, at about 3 percent per year. We see here a long-term trend towards youth on one side and a large wealth of experience on the other.
Are employees “from the middle” complaining about this change? Detailed data from the USA does not focus on the mood in the industry. However, age discrimination plays a role in one in five complaints from the tech industry. On average across all sectors of the economy, this is only in about 15 percent of cases.
Generation Z also has a special relationship with the office that fundamentally differs from that of previous age groups. Many of them began their professional lives during the pandemic or shortly before and did not get to experience the normal workday. Now they are celebrating it: Generation Z is now finding a new reason to go from home office to the office
