Shove over Gen Y: Gen Z is almost here
Gita Pupedis [email protected]
Assoc. Prof. Chris Bellman [email protected]
School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences,
RMIT University
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Introduction
• Gen Y Gen Z
• Skills crisis and student recruitment
• Are there differences between the generations?
• Do we need to change our marketing messages?
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Skills Shortage
• Labour demand – Existing skills shortage of 3000 to 4000 (ACIL Tasman 2008)
– Similar figures from Workforce Plan (SEAC 2007)
– And from a Queensland study (Lyons & Davies, 2011)
• Industry growth– Estimated at 10 - 15% per annum (ACIL Tasman 2008)
– This creates further demand for labour
• Universities graduate about 400 to 500 students a year
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Careers Promotion
• Surveying Taskforce
• Destination Spatial
• University marketing campaigns
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Complicating factor 1Mathematics
VCE Maths and Geography Studies 2003 - 2010
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
% o
f S
tud
en
ts
Further maths
Maths methods
Specialist maths
Geography
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Complicating factor 2Not enough Veronikas
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Complicating Factor 3?Generational change
Demographers say:
• Gen Y
– Socially connected/influenced by friends
– Like things to be fun!
– Not “try-hards”
– Want life enhancing experiences
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Complicating Factor 3?Generational change
Demographers say:
• Gen Z
– The first true A.D. generation
–The “click” generation
– Perpetually connected
– “Acquired attention deficit disorder”
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Student perceptions survey 2011
• 30 final year students (Gen Y)
• 21 first year students (approaching Gen Z)
• Eight students participated in follow up focus groups
• The overwhelming observation was the similarity between the responses from the two groups, however, there were some important differences.
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Work experience before commencing study
• 76% of first year students had undertaken work experience before commencing study
• 40% of final year students had done so.
• In both groups, this experience was primarily surveying related
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First awareness of program of study
Year 1 Year 4
VTAC Guide 6 Careers advisor/teacher
9
Parents 4 I knew someone in the program
2
RMIT website 3 Friends 2
Friends 3 RMIT website 2
Career/study expo 3 School careers night 2
RMIT Open Day 2 RMIT Open Day 2
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Influences when selecting program of study
Year 1 Year 4
Influence 1 2 3 Influence 1 2 3
Family 9 1 1 Family 6 1 2
Career or employment prospects
3 1 1 Career or employment prospects
4 3 1
Work experience 3 2 0 Careers advisor/teacher 4 3 0
RMIT Open Day 2 1 3 Career/study expo 3 2 0
Members of the profession
1 4 1 Course brochure 2 1 3
Careers advisor/teacher
1 2 3 Members of the profession
2 1 2
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Most frequently visited websites
Year 1 Year 4
Google 86% Facebook 77%
Facebook 71% Google 60%
Youtube 43% RMIT 53%
RMIT 38% Hotmail 27%
Hotmail 33% Youtube 10%
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Should GS use Facebook or other social media?
Year1 Year 4
Yes, you should 62% Yes you should 57%
No, you shouldn’t 14% No, you shouldn’t 33%
No response 24% No response 10%
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Use of industry websites and other promotional activities
Year 1 Year 4
“A life without limits” website 57% “A life without limits” website 20%
“A life without limits” DVD 29% “A life without limits” DVD 7%
Surveying Taskforce at career events
29% Surveying Taskforce at career events
10%
Surveying Taskforce industry presentation at school
- Surveying Taskforce industry presentation at school
3%
Destination Spatial website - Destination Spatial website -
Geospatial Revolution project (Penn State University)
- Geospatial Revolution project (Penn State University)
3%
None of these 38% None of these 63%
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Discussion
• Students are suspicious of generational labels.
• Students are cynical about marketing.
• Social media is not as dominant an influence as we had expected.
• Students suggested that industry should use short, sharp, entertaining videos (Youtube).
• Perceptions of the industry’s lack of prestige were raised.
• Work experience and school visits by industry, students and academics are considered important by many students.
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Conclusion
• Our marketing message and methods need to adapt to the changing requirements of the target audience.
• Clever use of technology is essential, but this space is already crowded and attention spans are short!
• New approaches need to sit alongside more traditional methods. Multi-pronged strategies appear essential.
• A continuing and concerted effort is required if we wish the message about careers and opportunities in the Spatial Sciences to be heard.
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And that was it, there is no more!!