What Sets them Apart

1. Generations in the Workforce What Sets them Apart

2. What You Remember Reveals Your Age….

3. Do you remember when smoking wasn’t hazardous to your health?

4. The Veterans (oldest generation still working) How They Learn • New is not necessarily better • Not innovative with new ideas • Like structure, schedules and procedures • Brain processes new ideas into old mental framework • Some refuse to work with technology (too overwhelming a learning curve, others jump in) • Want clear expectations and guidelines • Must memorize the basics

5. School Experiences for Veterans • Hard work • Respected their elders • Children were to be seen & not heard • Felt an obligation to make the grade • Performance based on individual ability • Little feedback unless negative • More intrinsic reward for good performance • Learned from history (other’s experiences) • Small class size, one curriculum for all • No special ed (students no where in sight) • Virtually never tested with standardized tests – less comparison to others

6. Did you ever use one of these???

7. The Veteran’s First Computer

8. Changes in the Workforce • Veterans have experienced the most change in their lifetime. They have had to adapt to: • Computers • Communication channels changing • World getting smaller • Keeping up with rapid increases in information • Move from content to process

9. Marketing to Veterans • Faith in the government and national institutions • Want quality but believe standard options are fine (not luxury) • Loyal customers that follow the rules

10. How Boomers Learn • Want things to fit into the “big picture” • Want recognition for how well they have done • Team oriented, work well in groups • Like to explore and analyze, look at different views • Follow instructions well • Good with content

11. Boomer’s Educational Experiences • Overwhelmed the school system starting in 1950, large class sizes • Ability grouped (red birds and blue birds) • Question authority but respect position • See life as an adventure (and school) • Emphasis on team work (cohort education)

12. Boomer’s Educational Experiences • Need silence to concentrate • Were told “you are lucky to be here, others are standing in line to get in.” • Want to feel valued • No special ed students in school but honors courses in a few subjects • Rarely tested and not for school performance (PSAT, SAT)

13. Remember these……

14. Boomer’s First Computer

15. Marketing to Boomers • Are individualistic so they like “customized and custom-made products” • Want to look successful (lots of stuff) • Seek self-improvement • Products/services that help them reach a balanced life (work/home) • Like technology but see the problems that come with it

16. How Gen Xers Learn • Task oriented – like to learn new skills • Speed is important • Self-paced learning, independent learning • Want to have fun while they learn • Informal learning environments are best • Hate group work • Want feedback from teacher/boss

17. Gen X Educational Experiences • Learned to rely on self • Distrust authority • Seek challenging environment (career education emphasis) • Want feedback on progress • Want to do things their way – like no rules and freedom on assignments

18. Gen X Educational Experiences • Had special education classrooms in school but separated • Had honors programs • Funding cut to education • Testing “mania” began with them • First daycare centers arose with them • Many latch-key kids

19. Remember these…..

20. Gen X’s First Computer

21. Was this your first video game?

22. Was this your first calculator and cell phone?

23. Marketing to Xers • Can spot a phony • Peer to peer referral • Like technology • Like products and services with options

24. Millennial School Experiences • Many private schools, charter schools, magnet schools – all to meet the needs of the individual child –many, many choices • School uniforms, child safety, high performance standards, character education, cooperative learning and community service

25. Millennial School Experiences • Goal oriented – outcome based education (what’s in it for me) • School is a means to an end – one must endure until the next level • Interactive, participatory and engaging – are consulted by adults • Everything 24/7 and available electronically • No “grunt work” - must do “meaningful work”, participate in decisions • International flavor, celebrate diversity, different is okay

26. Millennial School Experiences • Motivated by working with bright, motivated and moral people • Student makes judgments about truth and believability of what is taught • Classroom mainstreamed – multiple levels based on ability and interest • Constantly tested and compared to peers (learned to take tests so now of little use for college admissions) • Feel pressure for high achievement

27. How Millennials Learn • Try it their way – always looking for better, faster way of doing things • Prefer graphics before text, reading of excerpts • Like small and fast processing technology – best when networked • Want instant gratification and frequent rewards (spot)

28. How Millennials Learn • Focus on skill development – not memorization of what they perceive they don’t need to know • Productivity is key – not attendance – so make it worthwhile or they won’t come • Have different critical thinking skills based on their high tech world not thought processing (need help here) • Rely on teacher to facilitate learning • Group think and interaction

29. This is what millennials grew up with?

30. Their Idea of Computer Technology

31. What Do Businesses and Colleges/ Universities Need to Know about Today’s College Students and Graduates Here Come the Girls

32. Boys Issues in K-12 The Boys Project. http://www.boysproject.net/statistics.html

33. Boys and Their Educational Choices The Boys Project. http://www.boysproject.net/statistics.html

34. First Time Freshman Enrollments by Gender – 50 Years (numbers in thousands) (54.8%) (45.2%)

35. College Graduation Projections (numbers in thousands) (61% of degrees will go to women) (62.6%) (37.4%) (60%) (40%)

36. At Your Tables • Discuss: • When you were an undergraduate student and had a paper assigned in a class, what was your process for preparing for and writing the paper? • Where did your reference material come from? • How long did it take? • Would it be done differently today? • When you were in medical school, what was the process you were taught to diagnose and treat a condition? • What reference materials did you have? • How is it done now?

37. Most popular college majors: Ambitions • Engineering • Law and politics • Computer science • Medicine • Education/teaching • Business and marketing • Most sought after qualities in careers: • Idealistic and committed co-workers • Responsibility • Independence • Creativity • Most common job trends : • Seek security & benefits • Stay with company that offers a challenge • Multi-taskers • Change Careers Source: Industry Week, March, 1998.

38. Difference in Values • They have witnessed their baby boomer parents coming home from stressed jobs, exhausted, falling asleep at the dinner table; and don’t want that for themselves. • They are a generation who is interested in a life with value and meaning – they do not aspire to what the “boomers” aspire to – they want something different.

39. True Multi-taskers • Millennials have lived programmed lives and are already quite capable of learning several jobs simultaneously and performing them admirably. • Millennials will change careers many times (retool/recycling skills). • To retain them, smart employers will encourage Millennials to try out different careers within the same company.

40. Salary Expectations of Millennials • Realistically, what do you expect your starting salary will be when you begin working?Millennials • $15-20K 7.7% • $21-30K 29.3% • $31-40K 27.0% • $41-50K 15.9% • $50K+ 7.0% • Not sure 12.5% Approximately 65% felt they would earn $40K or less

41. Future Odds • How likely is it that someday you will: • How important will a two-income household be in reaching your lifestyle goals?

42. Quality of Life? • Rank order of items that contribute to a good quality of life (% ranking item in top 3 on a scale of 1-8)

43. Your Generation in the Future • Someday your generation will be raising kids, running corporations and occupying high political office. When that day comes, which areas of American life will be better, the same or worse than today because of your generation? • 3=better • 2=same • 1=worse

44. Will be better, the same or worse than today because of your generation? 3=better 2=same 1=worse

45. Will be better, the same or worse than today because of your generation? 3=better 2=same 1=worse

46. Importance of Career Components • Millennials felt the following career elements would be very important: • Respected on the Job • Opportunity for Professional Development • Ability to Have an Impact on the World

47. Importance of Career Components Items thought to be somewhat important: • Access to Information and Expression of Personal Opinion • Having High Job Prestige • Working with Inspiring Colleagues • Geographic Location of Job • Receive Guidance and Direction from Supervisor • Participating in Company Decisions • Independence/Professional Autonomy • Using Creativity on the Job • Lots of Responsibility • Flexible Work Hours • Dress Code Appropriate to Work Environment

48. Importance of Job Benefits • Benefits thought to be very important Health Insurance Salary Growth Plans like 401K Life Insurance Bonuses Employer-paid Retirement • Benefits thought to be unimportant Stock Options Profit Sharing

49. Jobs in Lifetime • How many jobs millennials thought they would hold in their lifetime? • 1-3 35.7% • 4-6 41.5% • 7-10 16.5% • Over 10 6.2% • 64% expect to have 4 or more jobs

50. Reasons US Workers Change Jobs In 2006, 21% of US workers made voluntary job changes for the following reasons: • Growth and earnings potential (30%) • Time and flexibility (23%) • Financial compensation (22%) • Culture and work environment (22%) • Benefits (12%) • Supervisor relationship (10%) • Travel and development (9%) • Management climate (9%) Benefit News