Cloudy1′s Blog
Just another WordPress.com weblogGeneration Y – 23 April 2009
Are the young people of today truly getting the service they expect and need from the guidance services or even the Government?
The services provided today have been brought about from studies and theories researched (or not) a good few years ago and the way that young people act and think now has completely changed. Young people today can get answers to their questions instantly at any time of the day or night, by using the internet; they expect the same reaction when they need help and support from the career advisers too. But are they getting it?
Generation Y need motivational leadership – can this be given if the adviser uses the same format for group work and career interviews throughout their school years? Universities are becoming more aware of the fact that one size does not fit all with the added complication that students can be a mixture of Generation X, Y or even Baby Boomers! How can the adviser be motivated themselves if they are not given the freedom or trust to provide an innovative session that appeals to the people they are trying to support?
Although Generation Y are digitally enabled, surprisingly it has been found that they prefer face to face learning rather than e-Learning
Career advisers also have to be responsible for setting Generation Y straight on what to expect in the world of work. The idea that when you leave school you’ll go into a job where you can afford an expensive car, home and lifestyle is a completely unrealistic one. When on placement one school pupil mentioned he wanted a specific type of car, to live in a particular area and work flexi-time – when we sat down with the guidance teacher he realised he would need to be earning £50,000 in his first job to gain this longed for lifestyle! The images on TV can give the impression that work life balance is more life than work! This is where work experience and mentoring should be used to reflect true work experiences.
For reference:
Baby Boomers – born between 1943-1963
Generation X – born between 1964-1981
Generation Y – born between 1982-2001
I think what you are saying is very interesting however are the goals in theory not the same for each generation? In that at some point we (although the age goal posts have change) want a job/career that we can earn money in and hopefully really enjoy. Perhaps the postmodern theories best suit the kids of today as they have moved away from the match making process and they seem to be more about exploring the person and the environment/community they come from. Perhaps this allows for guidance to be far more about the evolving person over time. I think it would be an impossible task to come up with something new that would fit the many groups/people in society. The thing is the more I read theory the more apparent it becomes that there are so many different groups/people who would benefit from all different kinds of guidance. The problem I think is how do we deliver theory in practice which benefits all involved. I guess the answer is, is that we
. I would defend some of the underlying principles in some of the older theory such as dots as I think the phiosophies can be utilised by individuals. I also think that some of the generic careers education can still be valuable as it can highlight how people can identify such things as skills and personal qualities promoting self awareness. I don’t just think that GY sufferes from how we might deliver the service I think the problem goes much further back than that. Man alive! Who new guidance or careers education could be so complicated!
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