Pioneering Study Reveals a School-to-Work Crisis Threatening Gen Z's Future
A groundbreaking study by the Schultz Family Foundation and HarrisX reveals a critical crisis in America's school-to-work transition system, affecting approximately 30 million young adults. The research, based on 5,771 interviews, exposes significant misalignment between educators, employers, and parents.
Key findings show that 43% of young adults consider the education system broken, while 46% feel unprepared for future jobs due to AI impacts. Notably, 77% of employers require experience for entry-level positions, yet most don't offer internship programs. The study also revealed that 70% of young adults rely on social media for career guidance, while only 16% of parents encourage this approach.
The research highlights a concerning gender gap, with only 50% of young women feeling prepared for future jobs compared to 60% of men. Mental health emerged as a critical factor, with 51% of young women reporting challenges versus 36% of men.
Uno studio innovativo della Schultz Family Foundation e HarrisX mette in luce una crisi critica nel sistema di transizione scuola-lavoro in America, che coinvolge circa 30 milioni di giovani adulti. La ricerca, basata su 5.771 interviste, evidenzia un significativo disallineamento tra educatori, datori di lavoro e genitori.
I risultati principali mostrano che il 43% dei giovani considera il sistema educativo inefficace, mentre il 46% si sente impreparato per i lavori futuri a causa dell'impatto dell'IA. In particolare, il 77% dei datori di lavoro richiede esperienza per posizioni entry-level, ma la maggior parte non offre programmi di tirocinio. Lo studio ha anche rivelato che il 70% dei giovani si affida ai social media per orientarsi nella carriera, mentre solo il 16% dei genitori sostiene questo approccio.
La ricerca evidenzia un preoccupante divario di genere, con solo il 50% delle giovani donne che si sente preparata per i lavori futuri rispetto al 60% degli uomini. La salute mentale emerge come fattore cruciale, con il 51% delle giovani donne che riporta difficoltà contro il 36% degli uomini.
Un estudio innovador de la Schultz Family Foundation y HarrisX revela una crisis crítica en el sistema de transición de la escuela al trabajo en Estados Unidos, que afecta a aproximadamente 30 millones de jóvenes adultos. La investigación, basada en 5.771 entrevistas, expone una desalineación significativa entre educadores, empleadores y padres.
Los hallazgos clave muestran que el 43% de los jóvenes considera que el sistema educativo está roto, mientras que el 46% se siente poco preparado para los trabajos futuros debido al impacto de la IA. Notablemente, el 77% de los empleadores requiere experiencia para puestos de nivel inicial, pero la mayoría no ofrece programas de prácticas. El estudio también reveló que el 70% de los jóvenes confía en las redes sociales para orientación profesional, mientras que solo el 16% de los padres fomenta este enfoque.
La investigación destaca una preocupante brecha de género, con solo el 50% de las jóvenes sintiéndose preparadas para trabajos futuros en comparación con el 60% de los hombres. La salud mental surgió como un factor crítico, con el 51% de las jóvenes reportando dificultades frente al 36% de los hombres.
슐츠 패밀리 재단과 HarrisX가 공동으로 수행한 획기적인 연구는 미국의 학교-직장 전환 시스템에 심각한 위기가 있음을 밝혀냈으며, 약 3천만 명의 청년이 영향을 받고 있습니다. 5,771건의 인터뷰를 바탕으로 한 이 연구는 교육자, 고용주, 부모 간의 심각한 불일치를 드러냅니다.
주요 결과에 따르면 청년의 43%가 교육 시스템이 붕괴되었다고 생각하며, 46%는 AI의 영향으로 미래 직업에 대비가 부족하다고 느낍니다. 특히 77%의 고용주가 신입직에 경력을 요구하지만 대부분 인턴십 프로그램을 제공하지 않습니다. 또한 청년의 70%가 진로 안내를 위해 소셜 미디어에 의존하는 반면, 부모의 단지 16%만이 이 방식을 권장합니다.
연구는 성별 격차 문제도 강조하는데, 미래 직업에 준비되었다고 느끼는 젊은 여성은 50%에 불과한 반면 남성은 60%입니다. 정신 건강도 중요한 요소로 나타났으며, 젊은 여성의 51%가 어려움을 보고한 반면 남성은 36%입니다.
Une étude révolutionnaire menée par la Schultz Family Foundation et HarrisX révèle une crise majeure dans le système américain de transition école-travail, touchant environ 30 millions de jeunes adultes. La recherche, basée sur 5 771 entretiens, met en lumière un important désalignement entre éducateurs, employeurs et parents.
Les résultats clés montrent que 43% des jeunes considèrent le système éducatif comme défaillant, tandis que 46% se sentent mal préparés aux emplois futurs en raison des impacts de l'IA. Fait notable, 77% des employeurs exigent une expérience pour les postes débutants, mais la plupart n'offrent pas de programmes de stages. L'étude a également révélé que 70% des jeunes s'appuient sur les réseaux sociaux pour s'orienter professionnellement, alors que seulement 16% des parents encouragent cette démarche.
La recherche souligne un écart préoccupant entre les sexes, avec seulement 50% des jeunes femmes se sentant prêtes pour les emplois futurs contre 60% des hommes. La santé mentale apparaît comme un facteur critique, 51% des jeunes femmes rapportant des difficultés contre 36% des hommes.
Eine bahnbrechende Studie der Schultz Family Foundation und HarrisX zeigt eine kritische Krise im Übergangssystem von Schule zu Beruf in den USA auf, die etwa 30 Millionen junge Erwachsene betrifft. Die Forschung, basierend auf 5.771 Interviews, offenbart erhebliche Missstände zwischen Lehrern, Arbeitgebern und Eltern.
Wesentliche Ergebnisse zeigen, dass 43% der jungen Erwachsenen das Bildungssystem als defekt ansehen, während 46% sich aufgrund der Auswirkungen von KI unvorbereitet auf zukünftige Jobs fühlen. Bemerkenswert ist, dass 77% der Arbeitgeber Erfahrung für Einstiegspositionen verlangen, aber die meisten keine Praktikumsprogramme anbieten. Die Studie ergab außerdem, dass 70% der jungen Erwachsenen soziale Medien für Berufsberatung nutzen, während nur 16% der Eltern diese Methode unterstützen.
Die Forschung hebt eine besorgniserregende Geschlechterlücke hervor: Nur 50% der jungen Frauen fühlen sich auf zukünftige Jobs vorbereitet, verglichen mit 60% der Männer. Die psychische Gesundheit wurde als kritischer Faktor erkannt, wobei 51% der jungen Frauen Herausforderungen berichten, gegenüber 36% der Männer.
- None.
- 43% of young adults consider education system broken
- More than half of 18-24 year olds are unemployed or underemployed
- 77% of employers require experience for entry-level jobs without providing opportunities
- Significant mental health challenges affecting workforce readiness
Research shows how young Americans seek professional success but face deeply fractured pathways to the job market because educators, parents and employers are misaligned and provide outdated guidance
This Broken Marketplace impacts the majority of 30 million young adults in America and poses a serious threat to building the
Study also sheds new light on the impact of AI on the youth workforce; young people turning to social media as a career coach; and young women facing a quiet mental health crisis
Data from The Broken Marketplace: America's School-to-Work Crisis, a sweeping survey of more than 5,700 young Americans ages 16-24 and the adults meant to support and guide them, shows that the struggles young adults have in finding jobs is not a temporary blip. Rather, many of the people and institutions designed to support young adults on the journey from school to work are fundamentally out of sync with a rapidly shifting modern economy, and their challenges are poised to get worse as advances in artificial intelligence further impact the labor market.
More than four in 10 young adults surveyed said both the education system (
"Today's young people are eager to succeed, but the systems meant to support them are falling short," said Vivek Varma, CEO of the Schultz Family Foundation. "This research provides key insights to design a better marketplace that is built for more informed choices, accessible resources, lifelong learning, flexible pathways and opportunity accessible to all."
A first-of-its-kind study the Broken Marketplace also included in-depth qualitative and quantitative interviews with parents, educators and employers to reveal the ways each group is misaligned with the other. For example,
Of the about 30 million Americans between 18 and 24 years old, many are struggling to tap their full potential in the Broken Marketplace. More than half are unemployed, churning through low-wage jobs or are working roles beneath their educational attainment, according to an analysis by the Burning Glass Institute.
"What we found is that employers, educators, and parents are caught in a finger-pointing loop in the Broken Marketplace, each expecting the other to fill the gap," said Dritan Nesho, CEO and head researcher at HarrisX. "The result is a vacuum of relevant and reliable support for young adults, which has pushed them increasingly towards social media and away from traditional guidance systems."
Other significant findings include:
- Social media is the new career coach: Seven in 10 young adults learn about educational (
79% ) or career (70% ) pathways on social media, but only16% of parents and22% of navigators encourage social media as a tool for self-exploration.
- Young women are facing a quiet mental health crisis: Despite conventional wisdom about young men feeling "lost," the study found young women are facing greater mental health challenges and job market anxieties. Only
50% of young women ages 18-24 feel prepared for the jobs of the future, compared to60% of their male peers, while51% of young women say they've experienced mental health challenges compared to36% of men.
- AI is seen both as an essential tool and a threat to skills:
30% of young adults rely on AI to learn new skills but60% of educators say AI is hindering skill-building for the future workforce.
- Mental health is top priority:
37% of young adults rank mental health as one of the most important factors to their success, ahead of building a career or pursuing more education.75% of young adults are still feeling impacts of COVID shutdowns, with31% citing a direct impact of the pandemic on their mental health today.
"The findings illuminate how a broad swath of Generation Z remains far from tapping its full potential because of systemic inertia that leaves too many young people stranded at the moment they should be starting their careers," said Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a Managing Director of the Schultz Family Foundation. "This Broken Marketplace poses a significant risk to building the future workforce our nation needs, particularly at a time when the country is seeking to increase domestic industrial production."
HarrisX conducted 5,771 quantitative and qualitative interviews for the study. Quantitative online interviews were conducted with 2,820 16-to-24-year-olds, with a focus on middle-to-low-income households; 992 parents of young adults; 1,267 educators, guidance counselors, community leaders and career/workforce specialists; and 607 human resources and hiring managers.
To learn more, visit www.brokenmarketplace.org
About the Schultz Family Foundation
The Schultz Family Foundation's mission is to create greater opportunity, accessible to all. Our work is deeply rooted in the lives and values of our co-founders, Sheri and Howard Schultz, who believe talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. We seek to apply the lessons they have learned over the decades to seed innovations and scale solutions to help young people successfully navigate the transition to adulthood and positively impact the trajectory of their lives. We are investors in unleashing potential and unlocking opportunity, working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and governments that share our aspiration of enabling everyone to access the full promise of America. Learn more at: www.schultzfamilyfoundation.org.
About HarrisX
HarrisX is a leading strategic research, data analytics and AI consultancy focused on emerging technologies, business and social trends, social impact, public policy and politics. HarrisX conducts multi-method research in
Contact
Gabriela Schulte
VP, Marketing and Communications
gabriela.schulte@harrisx.com
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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.
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