How recruiters can attract the digital generation to join the tech industry

As Gen Z enter the workforce as the first truly digital generation, they bring skills with them that previous generations don’t have. However, our latest research shows that there’s a discrepancy between how IT decision-makers and Gen Z view the value of young workers.

In a series of video interviews, we gathered first-hand accounts from people in various roles within tech to learn how they view the digital generation and the skills they bring to the industry.

In the videos, we interview Gen Z worker Abenaa Ansah, an Associate User Experience Designer, who provides her thoughts on how companies can attract young people to their roles. We speak with Samantha Edmonson, Head of Talent at Universal Quantum, who provides an employer’s perspective, and Milimo Banji, Founder and CEO of TapIn, who gives us his expert view on how employers can engage with Gen Z.

How employers can better support young talent

CWJobs’ research found that while high salary is a key driver, flexible working and mental health support are also important to Gen Z. Abenaa outlined the importance of doing wellbeing checks with employees and checking in with how they feel. She said:

‘‘One thing I like about where I work is that they have a bot in our teams, so on Tuesdays and Thursdays you have to type in how you feel about things you’re working on and whether you need help with anything.’’

As Head of Talent at Universal Quantum, Samantha makes the point that although education has a part to play in preparing people for the future, it’s the companies that have the foresight to know what they’ll need in five years. If they step up and really prioritise training and development and make it a key goal, there’s every chance companies themselves can prevent a future skills gap.

How can we encourage more young talent to join the industry?

As a student, Abenaa didn’t recall being spoken to about tech as a career option. She herself ventured into the industry quite late in life. She believes that talking about the variety of roles, and the different pathways that can be taken at primary school would be beneficial. She recalls being taught IT and ICT, but notes the huge difference between this and the coding and the design world.

Samantha believes that it comes down to making tech relatable to young people. It’s important to get them excited about the outcomes of tech and what their contribution to the industry could then lead to. In helping Gen Z see the purpose behind technology and the individual roles in the industry, we can relate this back to the skills they’ve already gained through their education or their other outside interests.

The importance of DE&I & opportunities for minority groups

Abenaa believes that diversity, equality and inclusion is important in tech because of the benefits that come from having multiple perspectives from people with different backgrounds. For her, it’s reassuring to know that she won’t always feel like the other at work.

Samantha concludes that companies will not thrive unless they’re truly diverse and creating a diverse and inclusive environment. She said:

‘‘It’s really important to recognise that diversity and inclusion is an ongoing daily commitment that requires constant, active action. It’s not a singular exercise you can go through. You have to be proactive every day and ask uncomfortable questions, challenge yourself, examine your processes and decision making, and embed that diversity and inclusion in what you do.’’

Milimo says that to be truly diverse, companies need to be intentional. Diversity and inclusion aren’t just a tick box, companies need to ask what they can be doing to invest in these communities. He said employers need to work out how they can take their resources, and not just money, and ask how they can support minority groups.

When an employer is genuinely invested in a community, over the long-term, they’ll see an influx of diverse talent that’s more receptive because they feel more encouraged. He believes that companies need to take a stand when it comes to diversity. Employers need to recognise that work needs to be done and make their actions known.

How companies can target young tech talent

Abenaa says that companies need to advertise jobs in places where young people will see them, so social media is really important. She recalls looking for roles as a UX designer, and a lot of companies wanted experience that young people don’t have.

She says it’s not possible to have 5 years’ experience and still be under the age of 23. Companies need to be more realistic in what they put on their job adverts to make the role less intimidating to young people.

Milimo says employers need to be conscious about investing in young talent by placing responsibility on decision makers and holding them accountable for honouring the commitment that the business has made. It’s important to build a strategy and understand that the company may not be able to achieve their goals in the next year, but with a five-year plan, they can build investment into their hiring strategy so it becomes a real business objective.

Filling the tech skills gap with young tech talent

Samantha says that encouraging more young people into the tech workforce is absolutely critical for filling the skills gap. The gap itself is getting bigger and bigger as the years progress, and the workforce is shrinking, so companies need to actively expand their workforce.

At Universal Quantum, the company sees the benefit of training young people in-house and getting to know their working styles, and what works for them and what doesn’t. It enables the company to be much more bespoke in their approach to managing and developing talent.

This also uses the skills of more experienced staff as well and gives them a chance to share their knowledge and make sure it carries over. More experienced workers benefit from having a fresh pair of eyes and the chance to re-examine why they’re doing things. It’s the responsibility of companies to help create and nurture the talent pool and the industry can’t rely on education to give young people the five-to-ten years’ experience that we often say we need.

Tips to attract Gen Z as an employer

Abenaa feels that the key to attracting Gen Z is learning and development. By providing on-the-job training, young people feel that a company is interested in developing their career. Also, the type of products that a company develops is interesting to Gen Z, as well as the work that they do. It helps young people decide whether it’s something they want to be part of.

Samantha’s top tip for attracting Gen Z is to get them excited about the company and what it does. It’s important to engage young people with company values as we’re seeing an increasing number of young people expressing a desire to work for a company with a strong ethical viewpoint and strong ethical values.

Employers also need to be proactive by reaching out to young people personally, or at a community level. CWJobs’ report shows that Gen Z confidence is low when it comes to applying for tech roles, so reaching out to them first and making that first step can be really helpful.

Removing any barriers to entry, such as arbitrary requirements, is also important. For example, companies could be more flexible with location or working styles, and therefore target people that have the potential and aptitude to be trained.

Milimo believes that the key to attracting young people is data. Data helps companies understand their target audience, what they like, and what trends they follow. He says that data can help employers see what’s changing in young people’s consumption habits and where they’re spending their time. Data can literally tell employers what kind of roles Gen Z are looking for, so it’s a question of what companies can do to meet their requirements.

To find out more about how to attract the digital generation, watch the videos in full, here.