Gen Y: A new breed of student

CRICOS No. 00213J

Gen Y: A new breed of studentGen Y: A new breed of student

Col McCowan

Head, Careers & Employment

Queensland University of Technology

[email protected]

www.qut.com/careers

CRICOS No. 00213J

Givens with young peopleGivens with young people Identity development Social-emotional development Adolescent / parent relationship Peer group relationships

But is there another layer??

CRICOS No. 00213J

GenerationsGenerations Every 18/19 years Common denominators

– Physical– Psychological– Social– Economic– Experiences in formative years (eg Bhutan / war..)

Similarities but diverse Reputations (eg Hippies in the 60’s) Themes for market research…

CRICOS No. 00213J

Five GroupingsFive Groupings - Veterans/Builders, 20/30/40’s (going/gone) - Baby Boomers, 40/50/60’s (managers) - Generation X, 60/70/80’s (staff + some

students) - Generation Y, 82/00’s (students) - Generation Z, 01/19

CRICOS No. 00213J

Gen Y - BackgroundGen Y - Background Witness economic growth, no bad consequences Central to family, treated as adults, value parents Bred for success, need chance to achieve and shine Parents want quality life for themselves as well as kids Protect from consequences Unchurched Material things equal success Without boundaries

– Nothing to break away from

Not so much theory – need relevance

CRICOS No. 00213J

CharacteristicsCharacteristics Self confident, optimistic

– can seem arrogant or disrespectful

Quick decision makers– strawberry – chocolate

Interested in politics, but not to vote Comfortable with both technology and tradition Involve parents/grandparents

– money trees!

High tech - High touch

CRICOS No. 00213J

Characteristics (cont.)Characteristics (cont.) Know they are customers and we need them Like to be entertained Multiple inputs Short attention span Concerned with self image

– In line with fads

Entrepreneurial Confirm chosen option

CRICOS No. 00213J

Peter SheahanPeter Sheahan High acceptance of change/choices Anything is possible Flexibility Respect honesty / integrity (consumers??)

CRICOS No. 00213J

Hugh MackayHugh Mackay Change is the only world they know

– What else is there? Leave to last minute. Anything better?

– Not necessarily disloyal

Mobile phone behaviour Focus on lifestyle Play precurser to socialisation / action

TV precurser to role models / entertainment Get tribal identity from others, as extended family Values vacuum - you work it out MWTKs - fringe dwellers

CRICOS No. 00213J

Student (29 yrs) on Gen YStudent (29 yrs) on Gen Y Lack of awareness of & respect for needs of others Unreasonable demands and expectations Don’t take personal responsibility – blame others.. Cant wait for a lecturer to slip up Derogatory comments based on superficial features Arrogant, inflated egos, posturing, not genuine Image obsession – either ‘in’ or ‘out’ Limited attention span, lack of focus Poor organisational ability

CRICOS No. 00213J

My summaryMy summary Egocentric High demand Instant Bomb Life style Image - cool Consumer Negotiation Little consequence Overload

CRICOS No. 00213J

Learning/Working StylesLearning/Working Styles Jigsaw - fit enough pieces together to get the pattern

Mosiac - put bits and pieces together to create own picture

Scaffolding – make the steps clear, discrete & achievable

(sort of contradictory)

CRICOS No. 00213J

Kolb Learning StylesKolb Learning StylesKolb - four styles: inside the square, outside the square, by doing, by thinking.

Enthusiastic - get totally involved quickly and take risks Imaginative - think before doing and have creative solutions Logical - understand and plan before doing Structured - get on and get done without distraction

CRICOS No. 00213J

Choice as DynamicChoice as Dynamic ‘Choice is not an instantaneous or even short-term

period of decision. It is a momentary external expression of the balance between a wide range of social, cultural and economic perceptions.

Its expression is unlikely to be identical to its expression as a choice tomorrow’

Hemsley-Brown and Foskett,

CRICOS No. 00213J

Image and ExpectationImage and Expectation Contracted images from own expectations Delegated images come from others’ perceptions Derived images from media All 3 important in shaping perceptual constructs Reinforcement, protecting & expressing of self image

High expectations (over optimism)– Over-estimation of chance/success– Default to a much less ambitious choice

CRICOS No. 00213J

Choice StrategyChoice Strategy Not the culmination of a rational, reasoned process and

once made will be revisited Not necessarily a non-rational process but a choice of

justification strategies Rational within the confines of limited information,

minimised effort and pressure to preserve self-image Unstable, subject to change, modification and reversal

over short or long periods

We must view this ‘instability’ not as a sign of failure but as integral to their choice making

CRICOS No. 00213J

Multiple ChangersMultiple ChangersUK Report Kidd & Wardman

research found that multiple changers Only ever considered one option, or Premature closure on decision due to

– Poor research– Many unresearched options– Poor time management /close to deadline

CRICOS No. 00213J

Eg. Choice of Uni Eg. Choice of Uni (DEST, 2000)(DEST, 2000)

Major factors in decision/choice making

Use only but any two of Reputation Convenience Successful outcome Entry Score (measure of quality)

but low knowledge of specific characteristics

How to cope with 600+ courses

CRICOS No. 00213J

Mismatched ExpectationsMismatched Expectations(DEST 2000)(DEST 2000)

Consumer orientation Oversell affects expectations & beliefs before Competition removes obligation to be well informed Few concrete expectations before arrive First weeks crystallise - testing/shaping Finding a place in a new peer group Expectations not met

CRICOS No. 00213J

ApproachApproach Study UCSD Career Service:

– very important to deliver using latest technology:

informative, organised, current, effective, competent

– but most important to deliver:

a friendly service

CRICOS No. 00213J

ImplicationsImplications

Not homogeneous as a group High tech (latest, competent)

High touch (friendly, personalised)

Choices (cursory, image driven, too many,

without consequence)

Style (how, what)

Normalise (work with)

Negotiation (skilled)

Image (protecting)

Involve parents/grandparents

CRICOS No. 00213J

IssuesIssues Consequences Last minute Negotiation TV role models - active play Teach decision making Multi-modal approach Present in bite-size chunks Distract often

Gen Y: A new breed of student

Documents

Transcript of Gen Y: A new breed of student