Gen Z abandoning traditional career paths to become professional gamers and influencers
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Generation Z wants to move away from traditional roles for careers as gamers or social media professionals, new research has revealed. The survey of 2,000 young people aged 18 to 29 indicates an increasing desire to align work with personality and passion - and to prioritise wellbeing.
A third of the group (33%) dreamed of being a professional gamer while more than half (56%) would choose to work in social media. They valued a good work/life balance (73%) and green credentials, with 55% saying they would consider a prospective employer’s environmental impact when debating a job offer.
Many also shunned “office jobs” for ones with a “good work culture”, while more than a third (34%) want to work for a company with a strong mental health support network. Just over a quarter (26%) think a diversity and inclusion programme is important.
The cohort’s top hobbies were social media (51%), travel (49%) and spending time with friends (41%). A quarter said that gaming was the best way of letting off steam. Southeastern Rail commissioned the research to understand how the aspirations of young people entering the workforce and in early careers aligned with working in rail.
With an average salary for under 30s of £28,366 and a free travel perk of over £3,000 - plus discounted Eurostar travel to Paris - a role with Southeastern could tick many boxes. Gaming skills can be put to use in control rooms, while social media whizzes could find a place in marketing. For the sociable there are multiple customer-facing roles.
