Apprenticeships are perfect for Gen-Z, also known as The Toolbelt Generation.
If you read GoSprout’s origin story, you’ll know that Founder Carlos Vazquez traveled a path from kid growing up in The Bronx to Edtech CEO with some critical stops along the way (that looked an awful lot like a teaching apprenticeship), but they weren’t. Teaching apprenticeships didn’t get approved until 2022.
Like many people, he wasn’t really aware that apprenticeships were real thing. And back then, the level of awareness was minimal.
If you asked someone what an apprenticeship is in that area, they might be answering based on their Disney education.
But Gen Z carries around a device in their pocket with more computing power than the Apollo moon landers. They often have use wireless ear phones and voice-activated search via AI.
So they can find out about all kinds of new things a lot faster than previous generations.
The Future: Connected
Did we mention Gen Z carries a super computer at all times and is comfortable interacting with AI?
They’ve been using augmented reality their whole lives (remember Snapchat?).
And now we have a quadriplegic playing X-Box via a chip inserted in his brain.
Reality is catching up with dystopian fiction: The Matrix, Terminator, Hunger Games, etc.
Gen Z knows where there is all going.
Student Debt: Known Enemy
You know how Gen Z knows so much about student debt? Because their parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins have it and have been wrestling with it for years.
It’s been a hot button topic in multiple political cycles now.
The family budget in part goes to student debt repayment.
Traditional College Degree Equals Desired Income?
Have we mentioned smart phones enough already?
Guess what: for Gen Z, smart phones are also little money machines.
Influencers are a thing. Jake Paul parleyed silly videos into a content empire and boxing career. Mr. Beast does weird stuff and puts it out YouTube. They both travel the world constantly.
How does liberal arts tie into that exactly?
The Covid Generation
“Gen Z” seems to have stuck so “The Covid Generation” will probably be applied to the next generation but Gen Z was hugely impacted by Covid.
Whether they were in high school or college, they weren’t going to school and sitting at desks all day.
They were learning at home via Zoom predominantly, and sitting or standing or walking around.
They had much more time to be outside and pursue hobbies and unguided learning (or Fortnite).
So Education and Job Expectations Have Changed
We mentioned that Gen Z is known as The Toolbelt Generation. This moniker comes from their interest in jobs where you’re active, on your feet, moving around, changing locations.
They’re also known as part of the “Deskless Worker Movement” and why shouldn’t they be?
Desks are mostly for managing paper (paper?) and holding keyboards and monitors. The QWERTY keyboard was invented in the 1870s.
Why would Gen Z use those tools when they can just talk to a device while they’re walking around?
And why load up on debt to get a degree that leads to a job tied to a desk that doesn’t pay particularly well?
RAPs: Your Time Has Come
At GoSprout, we’re trying the registered apprenticeship much closer than your average HR executive. We think they’re magical before anything that makes them particularly appealing to Gen Z.
But for Gen Z, they’re even more special. Just here at GoSprout, we have apprenticeships in all the emerging fields: AI, UX/UI, renewable energy, and more.
And the way the way the apprenticeships are delivered is awesome. We’re already offering augmented reality and virtual-reality based courses leveraging the Unity platform (better known for powering amazing video games).
Apprentices are getting paid. They aren’t collecting minimum wage doing work-study jobs. They’re on their feet, working on real projects for real clients across the country.
Instead of loading up on student debt, many of them are getting the college degree component for free. Florida is a leader and other states are catching up. So the education side is much more affordable. And they’re making wages via their apprenticeship, so goodbye Top Ramen.
Are you ready to take your existing apprenticeship to the next level? Schedule an introductory call with GoSprout. We’d love to learn more about your needs.
