As graduation season winds down, a new study shows that many Gen Z high school students feel unprepared to figure out what to do next.
According to a new survey from Gallup, Jobs for the Future (JFF), and the Walton Family Foundation, most Gen Z high schoolers know relatively little about the vast array of education programs and career paths available after graduation.
At this time of staggering student loan debt and many graduates questioning the value of a college degree, information about other postsecondary options is vitally important.
The survey showed that about one in three students knows a “great deal” about earning a bachelor’s degree (33%) or getting a paid job (32%). Far fewer — less than 20% — know a great deal about other pathways, including certificate and certification programs, experiential learning such as apprenticeships and internships, or joining the military.
The April survey of over 1,300 Gen Zers ages 16-18 and their parents identified gaps that prevent students from pursuing — or even learning about — their ideal post-high school pathways. Gen Z’s most trusted sources of education and career information — their parents, family members, and school staff — do not have early, frequent, or wide-ranging conversations with them about postsecondary options.
Fewer than 30% of high school students reported feeling “very prepared” to pursue any of the postsecondary pathways they’re considering.
JFF President and CEO Maria Flynn says the results highlight a pressing problem for the US economy and society — the lack of effective career guidance for high school students and young adults.
“Young people are eager to find good jobs but don’t have the information they need to determine the paths to those jobs,” Flynn said. “It’s critically important to build a robust network of career navigation services so young people and their parents can make informed decisions that match their aspirations, lead to family-sustaining careers, and meet the needs of employers.”
The survey — part of the Voices of Gen Z series — showed that despite their heavy use of social media, Gen Zers look to their parents as their main source of post-high school information. However, parental guidance is often insufficient. It’s limited by their experiences, the overwhelming growth in education and training options beyond college, and the realities of the highly dynamic labor market.
Schools are also not providing enough information, according to the survey. Only 15% of students received “a lot” of information about career paths other than enrolling in a four-year college or immediately entering the job market.
Flynn said building knowledge and “removing the social stigma and confusion” surrounding alternatives to the four-year college experience is imperative. “That will open up more opportunities for economic success for all,” she said.
By 2031, 85% of good jobs will go to workers with at least some postsecondary education, according to a 2024 study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. About 66% will require a bachelor’s degree or higher. But a substantial number — 16.4 million (19%) — will be available to people with some other type of postsecondary education or training, including associate’s degrees, certificates, certifications, and apprenticeships.
The Gen Z survey showed that the more young people know about various postsecondary options available, the more likely they are to pursue one of them. Students who said they know at least “some” about a pathway other than a bachelor’s degree or paid work are, on average, nearly three times more likely to be “very” or “somewhat” interested in pursuing that path after high school.
Employers can play a key role by partnering with school districts, community colleges, and four-year institutions to better align the curriculum to their hiring needs, help young people learn what jobs are available, and offer apprenticeships and paid internships.
The survey showed that work experiences, including internships, were among the most valuable career preparation activities for Gen Z high schoolers — and among the least common. Nearly half of the students surveyed (47%) had never participated in a work experience.
To help address these information and experience gaps, JFF and American Student Assistance (ASA) launched a Center for Career Navigation last year to empower young people ages 16 to 24 to have the information, skills, experiences, and supports they need to make education and career choices that lead to quality jobs while helping employers identify workers with skills that match their needs.
ASA Executive Vice President Julie Lammers said providing incentives to employers would spur more to offer hands-on work experiences to students. “It’s often a very complicated and cumbersome process for employers to take on the responsibility of having young people in their workplace; we need to lower the barriers to entry,” she said.
Later this year, the center will launch an online platform that helps young people learn about education and career options available in their area and equip them to take next steps. The tool will also provide information enabling parents to have these vital postsecondary conversations with their children — earlier and more often.
A 2024 ASA survey underscores the need for young people to receive better guidance on nontraditional post-high school pathways. Teens considering vocational schools, apprenticeships, and technical boot camp programs more than tripled from 12% in 2018 to 38% in 2024.
Learn how Jobs for the Future supports Gen Z to find quality jobs.
This post was created by Jobs for the Future with Insider Studios.
