WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.540 OK, so let's get into this. For decades, a college 00:00:05.540 --> 00:00:09.240 degree was seen as, well, the golden ticket, 00:00:09.779 --> 00:00:12.240 that laminated promise of economic security, 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:15.320 a clear path. The standard playbook for success, 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.260 you could say. Exactly. But what happens when 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:21.679 that promise starts to fray, especially for Gen 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.539 Z? Welcome to another deep dive from the road 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:27.219 to financial empowerment by empowering your finance. 00:00:27.550 --> 00:00:30.089 Today, we're really digging into Gen Z grads, 00:00:30.109 --> 00:00:32.329 the shifting employment landscape. And we've 00:00:32.329 --> 00:00:34.210 pulled together some really fascinating sources 00:00:34.210 --> 00:00:35.909 for you. We've got recent surveys from places 00:00:35.909 --> 00:00:39.710 like Resume Genius, the Financial Times, analyses 00:00:39.710 --> 00:00:42.409 from Pew Research Center, even a doctoral study 00:00:42.409 --> 00:00:45.170 from Walden University. So a good mix to really 00:00:45.170 --> 00:00:46.729 understand what's happening. Yeah. And our mission 00:00:46.729 --> 00:00:48.829 today is basically to cut through the noise, 00:00:49.189 --> 00:00:51.170 extract the key insights from all this material. 00:00:51.350 --> 00:00:53.390 We want to look at why that traditional path 00:00:53.390 --> 00:00:55.689 is being questioned so much now. And there are 00:00:55.689 --> 00:00:57.479 some surprising gender dynamics. we need to talk 00:00:57.479 --> 00:00:59.659 about too. Oh, interesting. Plus, what alternatives 00:00:59.659 --> 00:01:02.240 are popping up? Things that might actually redefine 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:04.780 success for this generation. Right. Get ready 00:01:04.780 --> 00:01:07.680 for maybe some aha moments, because what we're 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:10.599 looking at here, it isn't just a passing trend. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:14.099 It feels more like a fundamental recalibration 00:01:14.099 --> 00:01:17.739 of value in this rapidly changing economy. It 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:20.000 affects everyone. So let's set the scene a bit. 00:01:20.500 --> 00:01:22.819 Historically, that four -year college degree, 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:27.379 It was the undisputed ticket to economic security, 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.459 wasn't it? Absolutely. The American dream's most 00:01:30.459 --> 00:01:33.140 prized possession, as some might say. Yeah, he 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:35.000 guaranteed you that seat at the professional 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:37.260 table, or so he thought. And look, for a long 00:01:37.260 --> 00:01:40.340 time, that largely held true. But what our sources 00:01:40.340 --> 00:01:43.180 are showing now is that for today's Gen Z, particularly 00:01:43.180 --> 00:01:46.719 young men, that dream is, well, it's unraveling 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:48.819 at the seams. That's a direct quote. Unraveling 00:01:48.819 --> 00:01:51.260 at the seams. Yeah. Consider this is pretty jarring. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.379 A recent Financial Times analysis using pretty 00:01:54.379 --> 00:01:56.459 current data, U .S. Current Population Survey 00:01:56.459 --> 00:01:59.939 from July 2025, it shows young male college graduates 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:04.019 aged 22 to 27 now have almost the same unemployment 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:06.939 rate as guys their age without degrees. The same 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:09.180 rate, so the advantage is gone. Pretty much leveled 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:11.900 out in that specific group. Now, for context, 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:14.500 the Fed puts the overall unemployment rate for 00:02:14.500 --> 00:02:18.840 recent college grads at 5 .5 % versus 6 .9 % 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:21.300 for all young workers in that age range. So there's 00:02:21.300 --> 00:02:23.419 still a slight edge overall, but for young men 00:02:23.419 --> 00:02:25.740 specifically. That gap has closed dramatically. 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:27.900 And how does that compare to, say, a decade ago? 00:02:27.900 --> 00:02:30.080 Oh, it's a stark difference. Go back to 2010. 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:33.000 Young men without college degrees, they faced 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:37.240 unemployment over 15%. 15 %? Yeah. While their 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:39.759 college -educated peers were down around 7%. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:42.819 percent. So that significant educational advantage, 00:02:42.860 --> 00:02:46.319 it's clearly eroded quite dramatically. Okay. 00:02:46.419 --> 00:02:49.280 So what's causing this? Why this erosion, this 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:51.900 leveling? Well, there seem to be a few key factors. 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:54.479 One big one highlighted in a Harvard Business 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:58.259 Review piece from 2023 is employers are quietly 00:02:58.259 --> 00:03:00.219 dropping degree requirements. Really, for what 00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:02.340 kind of jobs? Especially for a lot of entry -level 00:03:02.340 --> 00:03:05.080 roles. I think tech, logistics, customer service, 00:03:05.659 --> 00:03:07.800 sectors where maybe specific skills or just being 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:10.180 able to learn quickly matters more than the credential 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:12.340 itself. Okay, that makes sense. Skills over sheepskin. 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:14.500 Kind of, and then there's just the sheer number 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:17.400 of graduates. The proliferation, as the sources 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:20.379 call it. It's diluted the exclusivity. If everyone 00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:22.139 has a bachelor's degree, it doesn't make you 00:03:22.139 --> 00:03:24.159 stand out quite as much. Right. It becomes the 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:26.259 baseline, not the differentiator. And we haven't 00:03:26.259 --> 00:03:28.960 even mentioned the cost yet, which is just astronomical. 00:03:29.340 --> 00:03:32.120 Exactly. That's a huge piece of the puzzle. Our 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:34.680 sources show the average annual cost for a four 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:39.340 -year public college up over 140 % and private 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:42.919 universities up around So you're talking about 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:45.419 potentially crippling debt before you even land 00:03:45.419 --> 00:03:48.280 that first job. So putting this all together, 00:03:48.819 --> 00:03:52.060 does it mean higher education is like obsolete? 00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:55.620 Is college dead? People are asking that. And 00:03:55.620 --> 00:03:57.840 the sources are pretty clear. No, it's not obsolete, 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:00.560 not at all. Degrees absolutely still matter and 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:02.539 they're essential for certain fields, medicine, 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:05.539 law, advanced research, you name it. OK. But. 00:04:05.689 --> 00:04:08.409 And this is the big but. The myth of the guaranteed 00:04:08.409 --> 00:04:11.050 payoff is gone. That's the shift. The guarantee 00:04:11.050 --> 00:04:13.770 is gone. Precisely. It's less about the death 00:04:13.770 --> 00:04:16.810 of education, more about a really profound recalibration 00:04:16.810 --> 00:04:19.870 of value. Young people today, Gen Z especially, 00:04:20.430 --> 00:04:23.310 they're laser focused on return on investment, 00:04:23.790 --> 00:04:26.910 ROI. Understandably so. Especially post pandemic 00:04:26.910 --> 00:04:30.850 with AI shaking things up, inflation. They're 00:04:30.850 --> 00:04:32.970 asking very practical questions about what that 00:04:32.970 --> 00:04:35.009 expensive degree will actually do for their bank 00:04:35.009 --> 00:04:37.120 account. That's a really powerful way to frame 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:40.439 it. A generational recalibration. Not necessarily 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:43.399 a crisis, but a correction. Recognizing that 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:45.920 maybe the path isn't just paved with that parchment 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.759 anymore. It's about practical skills, economic 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:50.939 independence. And look at this stat from Resume 00:04:50.939 --> 00:04:53.959 Genius. 23 % of full -time Gen Z workers actually 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.399 regret going to college. 23%. Yeah. And 19 % 00:04:57.399 --> 00:04:59.079 said their degree didn't even help their career. 00:04:59.339 --> 00:05:01.879 That's telling. OK, so if we dig a bit deeper 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:04.220 into these trends, what about different groups 00:05:04.220 --> 00:05:06.519 within Gen Z? You mentioned gender dynamics earlier. 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:09.100 Right. This is where it gets quite interesting. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:12.600 The sources point to a pretty notable gender 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:15.759 gap. While college -educated young men are seeing 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:19.060 this rising unemployment matching their non -degree 00:05:19.060 --> 00:05:23.399 peers, their female counterparts seem to be faring 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:25.769 better. Faring better how? Lower unemployment. 00:05:26.350 --> 00:05:28.790 Exactly. That same Financial Times analysis, 00:05:29.410 --> 00:05:32.269 it found only about 4 % of college -educated 00:05:32.269 --> 00:05:35.930 women aged 22 to 27 are unemployed. OK, compared 00:05:35.930 --> 00:05:38.449 to the 7 % for men you mentioned earlier. Precisely. 00:05:38.610 --> 00:05:41.470 A significant gap there. Why is that? What explains 00:05:41.470 --> 00:05:43.370 that difference? Well, part of it seems to be 00:05:43.370 --> 00:05:45.730 sector -driven. Health care, for instance. It's 00:05:45.730 --> 00:05:47.730 a huge employer, tends to employ more women, 00:05:48.029 --> 00:05:49.910 and it's one of the fastest growing fields in 00:05:49.910 --> 00:05:52.790 the US. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects, 00:05:52.790 --> 00:05:56.310 like 1 .9 million health care job openings annually 00:05:56.310 --> 00:05:58.540 over the next decade. Wow. And healthcare, as 00:05:58.540 --> 00:06:01.100 seen, is pretty stable, right? Like, recession 00:06:01.100 --> 00:06:04.199 resistant. Generally, yes. That's a big factor. 00:06:04.540 --> 00:06:06.220 But there might be other things at play, too, 00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:07.779 in terms of approach. For approach to the job 00:06:07.779 --> 00:06:10.300 search, you mean? Yeah. Some experts in our sources 00:06:10.300 --> 00:06:13.120 suggest women might be, on average, more flexible, 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:16.560 maybe more willing to take part -time work, or 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.220 temporary roles, or something that's maybe good 00:06:19.220 --> 00:06:21.279 enough for now just to get a foot in the door, 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.920 gain experience, or maintain financial stability. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:27.540 OK. Whereas men? Whereas men, again, generalizing 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:29.680 based on the sources, might be more likely to 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:32.220 hold out for that perfect role, the one that 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:34.639 really matches their ideal career vision. Which 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:36.899 could mean longer stretches of unemployment while 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:39.740 they search. Potentially, yes. It's one hypothesis 00:06:39.740 --> 00:06:42.220 put forward. Okay, so that Financial Times data 00:06:42.220 --> 00:06:44.920 points to better outcomes for college -educated 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:47.759 women in that specific group. Yeah. But you mentioned 00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:50.410 another study, the Walden University one. Did 00:06:50.410 --> 00:06:52.509 it find something different looking more broadly? 00:06:52.769 --> 00:06:54.529 Yes. And this is why it's important to look at 00:06:54.529 --> 00:06:57.490 multiple sources. That doctoral study used BLS 00:06:57.490 --> 00:07:00.529 data looking at gender, generation, and overall 00:07:00.529 --> 00:07:03.310 unemployment rates, not just recent grads. And 00:07:03.310 --> 00:07:05.290 interestingly, it found that females, compared 00:07:05.290 --> 00:07:07.970 to males across the generations studied, actually 00:07:07.970 --> 00:07:10.230 saw a slight increase in unemployment rates, 00:07:10.550 --> 00:07:14.209 euro 0 .652 units, to be precise. Oh, so the 00:07:14.209 --> 00:07:16.410 opposite trend from looking more broadly. In 00:07:16.410 --> 00:07:19.569 that specific study, yes. It suggests that while 00:07:19.569 --> 00:07:21.350 college -educated young women might be doing 00:07:21.350 --> 00:07:24.589 relatively well right now, possibly due to sector 00:07:24.589 --> 00:07:27.889 growth, the broader picture for women across 00:07:27.889 --> 00:07:31.410 all education levels might still involve challenges 00:07:31.410 --> 00:07:35.329 like occupational segregation, being concentrated 00:07:35.329 --> 00:07:38.209 in certain lower paying fields or societal norms 00:07:38.209 --> 00:07:41.410 impacting work. So it's complex, different data 00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:44.189 sets, different demographics. They paint slightly 00:07:44.189 --> 00:07:46.670 different pictures. Exactly. Nuance is key here. 00:07:46.850 --> 00:07:49.649 OK. So faced with all this, the cost of college, 00:07:49.990 --> 00:07:52.329 the uncertain payoff, maybe tougher job markets. 00:07:52.889 --> 00:07:55.649 You mentioned Gen Z men, in particular, are charting 00:07:55.649 --> 00:07:58.329 a different course. This rebellion in steel -toed 00:07:58.329 --> 00:08:00.410 boots. Yeah, it really seems like it. The numbers 00:08:00.410 --> 00:08:02.930 back it up pretty strongly. Between 2011 and 00:08:02.930 --> 00:08:06.629 2022, total college enrollment dropped by 1 .2 00:08:06.629 --> 00:08:10.069 million students. And get this, nearly a million 00:08:10.069 --> 00:08:12.189 of that drop was male students. That's according 00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:14.290 to Pew Research. A million fewer men going to 00:08:14.290 --> 00:08:16.709 college over that decade. Wow. And at the same 00:08:16.709 --> 00:08:19.629 time, enrollment in two -year public vocational 00:08:19.629 --> 00:08:23.529 programs. It's surged. Up over 20 % just since 00:08:23.529 --> 00:08:27.910 2020. That's over 850 ,000 new students pouring 00:08:27.910 --> 00:08:30.649 into those programs based on national student 00:08:30.649 --> 00:08:34.090 clearinghouse data. So a clear shift away from 00:08:34.090 --> 00:08:36.230 traditional college and towards trades. We're 00:08:36.230 --> 00:08:38.850 talking about plumbing. carpentry, welding, electrical. 00:08:39.029 --> 00:08:41.809 Exactly. Those kinds of hands -on skilled trades. 00:08:41.990 --> 00:08:44.769 And the appeal is lower cost, presumably. Definitely 00:08:44.769 --> 00:08:46.750 lower cost than a four -year degree, usually. 00:08:47.330 --> 00:08:50.110 But also, critically, they often lead directly 00:08:50.110 --> 00:08:52.950 to high -paying, stable careers. There's huge 00:08:52.950 --> 00:08:55.269 demand. Right. I saw the US Department of Labor 00:08:55.269 --> 00:08:57.950 noted that the median wage for some skilled trades 00:08:57.950 --> 00:09:01.470 now rivals or even exceeds many college -educated 00:09:01.470 --> 00:09:03.529 roles. That's right. The financial return can 00:09:03.529 --> 00:09:05.590 be quicker and, in some cases, higher, especially 00:09:05.590 --> 00:09:07.879 when you factor in and avoiding massive student 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:10.039 debt. We have some great examples of this from 00:09:10.039 --> 00:09:12.419 a CNBC deep -dive piece. Yeah, really compelling 00:09:12.419 --> 00:09:14.799 stories. Take Morgan Bradbury. She was thinking 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.700 engineering, maybe physical therapy, typical 00:09:17.700 --> 00:09:19.960 college paths. But then she tried welding for 00:09:19.960 --> 00:09:23.399 an Eagle Scout badge. And she said, quote, oh, 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:26.299 fire. That sounds pretty fun. Ah, love that. 00:09:26.419 --> 00:09:28.559 Right. She got hooked on building things, enrolled 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:32.320 in a nine -month welding course. Cost, $22 ,000. 00:09:32.580 --> 00:09:35.000 Fraction of a university cost. Tiny fraction. 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:37.289 Huh. And before she even finished the course, 00:09:37.429 --> 00:09:40.529 age 19, she lands a job. Third -class welder 00:09:40.529 --> 00:09:45.629 at BAE Systems, earning $57 ,000 a year. Incredible. 00:09:46.049 --> 00:09:49.309 At 19. Dan, just two years later, she's already 00:09:49.309 --> 00:09:51.429 a second -class welder working on U .S. Navy 00:09:51.429 --> 00:09:53.509 ships. That's a tangible fast -track career. 00:09:53.769 --> 00:09:55.629 Absolutely highlights the immediate payoff and 00:09:55.629 --> 00:09:57.429 the progression potential. And then there's the 00:09:57.429 --> 00:09:59.590 other story. Chase Gallagher. A landskeeper. 00:09:59.830 --> 00:10:03.039 Yeah. Started his business at 18. By senior year 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:05.500 of high school, his business is pulling in $125 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:09.120 ,000 in revenue. Wow. While still in high school. 00:10:09.419 --> 00:10:13.039 And he personally saved $120 ,000. So he faced 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.580 that choice. College or invest in the business. 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:17.799 What does his parents think? They had reservations, 00:10:17.940 --> 00:10:19.700 the article said. Wanted him to go to college. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:21.779 Understandable, given the traditional advice. 00:10:22.100 --> 00:10:24.220 But he chose the business. Poured the savings 00:10:24.220 --> 00:10:28.039 back into it. Fast forward to 2024. His company 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:30.600 did over a million in sales. A million dollars. 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:35.220 And his personal earnings, $491 ,000. OK, these 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:38.399 aren't just edge cases then. This shows a real, 00:10:38.759 --> 00:10:42.179 viable, potentially very lucrative alternative 00:10:42.179 --> 00:10:45.080 path. Exactly. It's a shift in mindset, prioritizing 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:47.580 practical skills, entrepreneurship, maybe faster 00:10:47.580 --> 00:10:50.100 financial independence over the traditional degree 00:10:50.100 --> 00:10:52.259 route. And it feels like this is reversing a 00:10:52.259 --> 00:10:54.940 previous trend, right? Weren't trades less popular 00:10:54.940 --> 00:10:57.100 for a while, maybe with millennials? Yeah, there 00:10:57.100 --> 00:10:58.799 was definitely a decline in interest over the 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.059 past couple of decades. The Great Recession didn't 00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:03.179 help. It pushed a lot of people towards college 00:11:03.179 --> 00:11:05.200 thinking it was safer. But now the pendulum is 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.759 swinging back. It seems so. And there's also 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:10.440 federal policy nudging things along. All this 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:12.220 talk about infrastructure investment. Right, 00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:14.779 the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the GHES Act. 00:11:14.940 --> 00:11:18.279 Exactly. It highlights the massive need for skilled 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:21.200 labor, especially as baby boomers and older Gen 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.460 X workers are starting to retire in large numbers 00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:26.200 from these fields. The demand is huge. Hey, while 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:27.799 you're taking all this in, just a quick reminder, 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:30.419 don't forget to follow, subscribe, like, and 00:11:30.419 --> 00:11:32.539 comment on The Deep Dive. Your support really 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:34.600 helps us keep exploring these important topics. 00:11:35.419 --> 00:11:37.860 OK, back to it. So we've talked about the rise 00:11:37.860 --> 00:11:40.759 of trades, the questioning of the degree, but 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:42.580 it's not black and white, is it? There are counter 00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:45.100 arguments. Definitely. While some headlines might 00:11:45.100 --> 00:11:47.460 scream that the higher education payoff is dead, 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:50.159 other sources paint a different picture, especially 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:53.379 long term. Right. Several sources emphasize that 00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:55.460 if you look at lifetime earnings, college often 00:11:55.460 --> 00:11:58.139 still comes out far ahead. Like, potentially 00:11:58.139 --> 00:12:01.120 close to a million dollars more over an entire 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.620 career compared to just a high school diploma. 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:06.379 A million dollars is significant. It is. And 00:12:06.379 --> 00:12:09.720 a Pew Research study using 2022 data showed young 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:12.980 men aged 24 -34 with a bachelor's degree had 00:12:12.980 --> 00:12:16.690 a median income of $77 ,000. Okay. Compared to 00:12:16.690 --> 00:12:20.169 $32 ,000 for those with only a high school degree 00:12:20.169 --> 00:12:22.250 in the same age group? That's a massive gap in 00:12:22.250 --> 00:12:24.370 current earnings too. So the immediate picture 00:12:24.370 --> 00:12:26.820 might be blurry. But the long -term financial 00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:29.019 argument for college still seems strong according 00:12:29.019 --> 00:12:31.320 to that data. It's definitely part of the conversation. 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:34.019 And it's not just about money, right? What else? 00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:36.379 Well, the sources also point out that college 00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:39.000 typically opens doors to a vastly broader range 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:41.980 of jobs, not just manual labor or trades, but 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:44.899 professions across countless sectors. More options, 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.759 potentially more flexibility later on. Potentially. 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:49.799 And then there's the argument for college beyond 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:53.419 just job skills training, the idea of education 00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:55.940 for its own sake. Developing critical thinking, 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.519 broadening perspective. Exactly, preparing you 00:12:58.519 --> 00:13:01.379 to think, to adapt, to learn how to learn skills 00:13:01.379 --> 00:13:04.320 that are arguably more important than ever in 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:06.960 a world that changes so fast. Okay, so the value 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:09.500 proposition for college is still there, just 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:12.940 maybe. Yeah. Different. Or needing closer examination. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.679 Perhaps, but the challenges for Gen Z job seekers 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.740 are very real, regardless of their path. That 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:20.600 Redditor quote you found really hits home. When 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:22.379 everybody has a college degree, nobody has a 00:13:22.379 --> 00:13:25.179 college degree. Yeah. The dilution point again. 00:13:25.580 --> 00:13:28.039 And beyond that, the actual process of job hunting 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:30.639 sounds incredibly frustrating right now. Our 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.659 sources called the current market a disaster. 00:13:32.820 --> 00:13:35.159 A disaster. Yeah. Well, several things. There's 00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:39.440 frustration with AI filtering resumes, good candidates 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:41.600 getting screened out by algorithm. Oh yeah, the 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:44.820 black box of HR tech. Exactly. Then... Fake job 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:47.360 listings companies posting roles they never intend 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.700 to fill. Why would they do that? Maybe to collect 00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:52.740 resumes, gauge the market, look busy, who knows? 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:56.500 But it wastes job seekers' time. Infuriating. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:59.159 And then these overkill interview processes. 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:01.919 Multiple rounds, complex assignments, taking 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:05.559 hours or days, ghosting. It's exhausting. No 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.169 wonder people are discouraged. And you mentioned 00:14:08.169 --> 00:14:11.570 nearly half of Gen Z feel their education is 00:14:11.570 --> 00:14:14.350 already obsolete because of AI. Yeah, almost 00:14:14.350 --> 00:14:17.190 50%. That feeling that the goalposts are constantly 00:14:17.190 --> 00:14:19.210 moving, that what they learned is already out 00:14:19.210 --> 00:14:21.379 of date, it has another layer of anxiety. And 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:23.299 let's not forget that Walden University's study 00:14:23.299 --> 00:14:26.460 finding Gen Z overall has the highest unemployment 00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:29.039 compared to Millennials and Gen X. Right. Even 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:31.120 with this shift to trades, they're still navigating 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:33.419 a really tough landscape overall. Millennials 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:36.320 actually saw a 7 .5 unit decrease in unemployment 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:39.120 compared to Gen Z in that study, and Gen X an 00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:42.360 8 .4 unit decrease. So context is important. 00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:45.259 While trades offer a promising route for some, 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:49.080 the generation as a whole faces significant hurdles. 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:52.659 Definitely. This whole shift, though, it feels 00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:55.659 less like just a reaction to bad circumstances 00:14:55.659 --> 00:14:58.899 and more like a strategic recalibration. How 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:03.710 so? Gen Z seems to be actively consciously seeking 00:15:03.710 --> 00:15:06.970 alternatives. Trade schools, yes, but also entrepreneurship 00:15:06.970 --> 00:15:09.590 like Chase Gallagher, digital upscaling, boot 00:15:09.590 --> 00:15:13.210 camps. They're looking for paths that offer tangible 00:15:13.210 --> 00:15:15.309 security and maybe more personal fulfillment. 00:15:15.509 --> 00:15:17.570 It feels proactive, not just reactive. I think 00:15:17.570 --> 00:15:19.370 so. And it's a powerful move. It could inject 00:15:19.370 --> 00:15:21.470 real dynamism into the economy, open up different 00:15:21.470 --> 00:15:23.750 kinds of opportunities. Like one expert put it, 00:15:23.830 --> 00:15:25.610 sometimes the smartest thing you can do is admit 00:15:25.610 --> 00:15:27.269 you made a mistake and pivot. Maybe that's what 00:15:27.269 --> 00:15:29.169 we're seeing on a generational scale. What an 00:15:29.169 --> 00:15:31.490 absolutely fascinating deep dive today into Gen 00:15:31.490 --> 00:15:35.049 Z grads. shifting employment landscape. So much 00:15:35.049 --> 00:15:36.950 to unpack there. It really feels like we're watching 00:15:36.950 --> 00:15:40.509 a profound reevaluation of what we consider a 00:15:40.509 --> 00:15:43.389 valuable education and what defines a successful 00:15:43.389 --> 00:15:46.059 career path. Absolutely. This shift is forcing 00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:48.559 a really crucial conversation, isn't it, about 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:51.500 balancing traditional academics, practical skills, 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:53.919 and just the raw demands of the modern workforce. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.299 The trends are pretty undeniable. Gen Z is actively 00:15:57.299 --> 00:15:59.379 forging new paths. They seem driven by a really 00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:01.759 sharp eye for return on investment, but also, 00:16:01.860 --> 00:16:04.100 I think, a desire for work that feels meaningful 00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:06.759 and stable. So we want to leave you, our listeners, 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:09.019 with maybe a provocative thought to chew on. 00:16:09.179 --> 00:16:11.899 In this world where those old clear lines between 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:14.820 education, skills, and career success are getting 00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:17.899 blurrier by the day, what does financial empowerment 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:20.340 and fulfillment actually look like for you? Is 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:22.700 it about sticking to that predetermined blueprint? 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:25.580 Or is it about being bold enough to chart your 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:28.179 own course, even if that means picking up a totally 00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:31.019 new tool or starting a business in your garage? 00:16:31.600 --> 00:16:33.659 Thank you so much for joining us on the deep 00:16:33.659 --> 00:16:36.279 dive today. We really hope this exploration gave 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:38.500 you some valuable insights for navigating this 00:16:38.500 --> 00:16:41.220 constantly evolving employment landscape. And 00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:42.919 hey, if you want to keep digging into complex 00:16:42.919 --> 00:16:45.080 topics just like this one, please make sure to 00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.299 follow, subscribe, maybe leave us a review. It 00:16:47.299 --> 00:16:49.740 really helps. And check out other deep dives 00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:52.139 from the road to financial empowerment by empowering 00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:55.120 your finance. Until next time, keep learning, 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:58.460 keep questioning, and keep driving your own financial 00:16:58.460 --> 00:16:58.840 future.