Generation Z and the job market in Germany - statistics & facts
Generation Z or Gen Z are members of the population born between 1995 and 2010. At this point in time, this span of years can translate into various life stages. Gen Z are either still in school, getting ready to decide their next steps, be it continuing education on a school level to complete the Abitur (school leaving exams in Germany), or looking for an apprenticeship. Others are already old enough to have worked several years, maybe even changed jobs multiple times. Gen Z are digital natives encountering rapid technological developments affecting the job market and jobs as such. While they might be especially adept at understanding and using new tech, they too must contend with what such developments might mean for their future employment. Artificial intelligence is a prime example, as by its very nature it has the potential to disrupt industires and reshape jobs previously reliant on human involvement only. Then again, precisely Gen Z may end up exemplifying how to productively combine human contribution with using AI at work.
Gen Z is experiencing major shifts in the German job market, be it due to the ripple effects of international current events, national economic issues or changing employment culture following the COVID-19 pandemic, in combination with the influence of the internet and AI on structuring and completing daily work. They may therefore turn out to be a key generation to determine the next phase in the development of the German job market as a whole.
Attitudes to work and career
Still being a young generation, data collection on various aspects of life connected to Gen Z may take some more time to show long-term developments. However, some trends have already been represented statistically. A survey conducted in Germany in 2024 shows how respondents aged 14 to 26 years evaluated various values and attitudes as important and desirable. Almost 62 percent rated career success as such, while 48 percent felt the same about high income and material prosperity. Another German survey about workaholics and family-oriented people confirmed around 33 percent of Gen Z saw themselves as fully focused on their career or education, working hard for it, whereas 10.3 percent stated that they would rather reduce time spent working to have more for their family.Studying and more
Gen Z includes university students, with Germany offering a wide range of university types and programs to choose from for pursuing higher education. While studying for a university degree after school as a means of more advantages on the future job market is a popular option, it is not the only one. Germany also offers apprenticeships for vocational professions, which are especially relevant in industrial fields. The latter are suffering from decreasing application numbers. The most popular occupations by newly signed contract numbers as of 2023 were management assistants for offices, motor vehicle mechatronics technicians and retail salespeople.Gen Z is experiencing major shifts in the German job market, be it due to the ripple effects of international current events, national economic issues or changing employment culture following the COVID-19 pandemic, in combination with the influence of the internet and AI on structuring and completing daily work. They may therefore turn out to be a key generation to determine the next phase in the development of the German job market as a whole.
