This month, the era of highly desirable tech jobs will graduate alongside the Class of 2024. These software engineer roles were the makings of millennial dreams, representing a more relaxed or fun style of work as well as a path toward financial stability and comfort. . But the other shoe – A Business casual sneaker– It's fallen on Silicon Valley and Generation Z is picking up the pieces.
The graduating class is less focused on nabbing that shiny tech gig, and is instead eyeing the reliable field of government jobs. This is how it appears recently reconnaissance For over 2,600 students from Handshake, a college recruitment company. As tech jobs diminish, so does interest among Generation Z who seek less chaos in their career prospects. Government jobs are known to be one of the most employment-steady and recession-resistant fields.
Young people are turning their heads slowly but surely. Only 21% of applications from the Class of 2024 were submitted to a technology company this year, compared to 23% in 2023. Interest in the site also indicates the tides are changing. While New York City and Washington, D.C., have become more popular destinations, interest in jobs in the popular tech hubs of California and Texas has declined significantly.
It is no coincidence that the Capitol is facing more. Instead of looking west, Generation Z is looking for more government jobs. Handshake found that the number of job applications to the sector rose from 5.5% in 2023, to 7.4% in 2024. A previous Handshake report released in February found that would-be technologists are already turning to the sector, with the number of tech specializations on the rise. The number of applications submitted to government employers doubled between 2021 and 2023.
As the first generation to lack memories of a world without the Internet, Generation Z has grown up alongside a thriving technology community. “The Class of 2024 really grew up with the tech industry, watching companies rapidly expand, innovate, and introduce products that changed their daily lives,” says Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake. luck. Naturally, she adds, it defined their career goals, gave them a sense of respect and a “special attraction” to the world of technology.
Recent graduates are simply taking a cue from recent headlines. Layoffs, hiring freezes, and the so-called 2000s-era change from Silicon Valley's relaxed, collaborative culture are all pushing Generation Z toward other fields. The turmoil of the past two years means that “that attraction is really starting to fade for a lot of students,” Cruzvergara explains, adding that many are looking to more stable jobs in government, manufacturing and healthcare as a result.
Given economic volatility, the pandemic, and recent rounds of layoffs in the tech world, the Class of 2024 is prioritizing consistency. Job stability is the top consideration for these Gen Zers when applying for a job, among 76% of Handshake respondents. Their desire for a steady paycheck is exacerbated by their financial vulnerability, with more than a third of students reportedly worried about repaying their student loans, and half of students worry about affording basic necessities after graduation. Religion is a sign of this category; The extent to which this group was affected by its loans was striking to Cruzvergara. All of this means that the tides are turning from the Pacific, as students cannot afford the instability of California
While many are confident in their ability to find a job, a growing number of graduates are pessimistic about the economy they are entering. Noting that “the Class of 2024 has proven to be an incredibly resilient group,” Cruzvergara says they are still trying to stick to their values. She describes these young people as “cautiously optimistic.”
It is somewhat surprising that a generation that was notoriously distrustful of men is looking to join politics. Among the institutions surveyed, young people had the lowest level of trust in the president, Congress, news and technology companies, according to Gallup 2023. vote.
It's called the “Problem Generation” before AxiosThe Class of 2024 has gone through cycles of instability in just four years. Naturally, their experience culminated in campus protests over calls for divestment from Israel amid a war in Palestine that lasted for eight months and resulted in the deaths of 35,000 Palestinians and 1,500 Israelis. Tensions escalated, with Columbia University taking center stage when the school contacted the New York Police Department on its student body to remove peaceful protesters from encampments on campus, in violation of the school's co-management agreement with students and faculty.
As a voting bloc, they are more disillusioned than previous generations The Wall Street Journal. Studies also show that they are more A group with liberal tendenciesGeneration Z is getting started Go back away From the Democratic Party candidate, President Biden, because of his position on Israel and Palestine.
Perhaps Generation Z is getting into local politics or this disillusionment has motivated them to push the system from within. Those seeking government jobs may not be the ones who are frustrated with current affairs. Either way, it seems as if tech jobs and Google parties are long gone for Gen Z and have been replaced by the Oval Office.
