As a proud member of Generation X, I tend to push back against whatever the common thought processes are. When I hear about labor shortages in meat processing and other important trades, one of the common refrains is “Kids today don’t want to work” or “Young people are lazy.” I don’t believe that. I didn’t believe it about Millennials, and I don’t believe it about Gen Z. I think what we’re seeing is a generation who were educated without purpose and are trying to find their place in the working world.
This is partly based on my experiences as a parent in suburban Atlanta. I’ve had my kids in the Fulton County Public School system, and I’ve had them in private schools. What I see in either case is an education business that depends on academic excellence at all costs, and preparing its students for a career is secondary at best.