social media influencer Archives - Junior Achievement of South Florida

JA/Citizens 2023 Survey of High School Students Reveals Their Career Aspirations; Economic and College Concerns; and Overall Financial Preparedness

Author: Kelsey Matzinger
Junior Achievement USA
Published: Monday, 01 May 2023

Have you applied for any scholarships yet? What are you going to major in? Are you excited for football season? The team is looking really good this year!

These are questions high school students get asked, but none of them are as important as “Are you able to afford college?” or “Are you going into a career field where you can pay off your loans quickly?” In today’s world, teens are increasingly exploring alternatives to the traditional higher education route, making these questions more crucial than ever. That’s why Junior Achievement and Citizens conducted a study to gain insight into where teens’ thoughts are when it comes to the cost of higher education.

Many teenagers see a successful future when it comes to their confidence in their ability to compete for the jobs of tomorrow. In fact, 57% of teens expressed confidence in their skills to do so. However, financial concerns are top of mind for many, with 70% indicating worries about the costs associated with pursuing education after high school.

Interestingly, the survey also found that the majority of teens believe an Associate’s or Technical Certification is sufficient to get a good job, with 76% in agreement. This indicates that teens are not necessarily prioritizing a traditional four-year degree as a means to achieving their goals.

The survey also found that teens are open to non-traditional paths to success, with 61% stating they would rather start their own business than have a traditional job. This preference for entrepreneurship is an interesting development and may suggest that teens are becoming more interested in taking control of their own careers.

Another trend that emerged from the survey is the growing influence of social media. With 40% of teens considering a career as a social media influencer, it is clear that this is a profession that is increasingly attractive to young people. As social media becomes more important in modern marketing strategies, it is likely that this trend will continue to grow.

However, the survey also highlighted the rising cost of living that is impacting families across the country. Over 60% of teens (63%) reported that their families have had to do without due to rising prices. This is a concern that may influence their education and career choices, as many may feel they need to prioritize immediate financial stability over pursuing their long-term goals.

It is clear that financial barriers are shaping the decisions teens make about their futures, and that the cost of pursuing education may be deterring some from pursuing their dreams.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT

The survey suggests that teens are confident in their abilities but are grappling with the costs and practicalities of achieving their goals. As such, it is more important than ever to provide young people with the resources they need to navigate these challenges and realize their full potential.

One way to support young people in achieving their goals is by providing them with access to affordable and quality education. With the rising cost of higher education, it is important to explore alternative options, such as trade schools and community colleges. These institutions often provide high-quality training in specific fields and can lead to well-paying jobs with fewer financial burdens.

Another way to support teens is by promoting financial literacy and providing them with the tools they need to manage their money effectively. This can include offering information through JA Connect on budgeting, saving, and investing, as well as resources for managing student debt.

Additionally, encouraging entrepreneurship and providing mentorship and resources for starting a business can help teens achieve their goals while also providing them with valuable skills and experience. This can include JA Connect activities or programs like JA Launch Lesson or JA Company Program.

Ultimately, it is important to recognize the unique challenges that teens face in today’s economic landscape and to provide them with the resources and support they need to navigate these challenges successfully. By investing in the education and well-being of young people, we can help ensure a bright and successful future for all.

To learn more about JA financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs, please visit jausa.ja.org/programs/index.

Author: Jack E. Kosakowski, President & CEO of Junior Achievement USA

Recently, and for the first time, the number of job openings in the United States exceeded 10 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS) Report. At the same time, there are more than 7 million who are eligible to work but who are unemployed.

Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of conversation around what’s happening in the American workforce. This includes “The Great Resignation,” where record numbers of workers are quitting their jobs, citing everything from pandemic-related burnout and lagging wages to a complete reassessment of what a job should be in light of everything our society has experienced recently. When you hear these accounts, it’s natural to assume that this is a short-term issue that will work itself out over time as COVID-19 becomes more manageable and people get to the point where they must work to provide for themselves and their families.

The fact is, there is a longer-term problem at hand. Even before the pandemic, employers were struggling to find qualified workers. This had been an issue for several years. However, the difference between now and then is that record numbers of qualified professionals, primarily Baby Boomers, accelerated their plans for retirement during the pandemic. Unfortunately, while one of the most skilled generations in our nation has begun to move out of the workforce en masse, there aren’t similarly skilled younger workers prepared to take their place. More than anything else, this reality could help explain why there are 10 million job openings in need of qualified applicants and so few who can fill them.

The question is, “Why aren’t today’s younger workers more inclined or better prepared to take on these roles?” Ironically, Millennials are one of the most educated generations in history. Unfortunately, according to a 2015 study from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), that education failed to sufficiently cover critical skills needed for employment, including STEM, communication, and critical problem-solving, for too many members of that generation. Additionally, in terms of career aspirations, a 2019 survey by Morning Consult showed that 86 percent of teens and young adults were interested in “Social Media Influencer” as a career choice.

Now, this isn’t to say every teen or young adult is on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram trying to be the next Kim Kardashian or Jake Paul. For instance, the top college majors as of 2021 still focus on critically needed professions like business, healthcare, engineering, and education. And there are millions of Millennials and Gen-Zers who are finding work and career success in those and many other fields. But when our young people look to career role models, should it be surprising that those role models come from something they are extremely familiar with, like social media, and not engineering, for instance?

The truth is, as a society, we need to do a better job of tying education to work and career outcomes so that we don’t end up with such a significant disparity between people looking for jobs and jobs looking for people. This includes helping young people draw the connection between what they are learning in school and its application to success outside of the classroom. This means helping students explore their interests, talents, and strengths and linking them to an educational pathway that results in the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies needed to find meaningful and rewarding jobs and careers. This also means putting them in contact with successful professionals in their communities who can serve as role models to inspire them to be the next engineer, technician, educator, skilled tradesperson, or physician, and not necessarily the next social media star.

Junior Achievement learning experiences do just that. As the result of JA’s work and career readiness pathways approach, which complements similar coursework in financial literacy and entrepreneurship, our program alumni tell us that Junior Achievement played a significant role in increasing their educational attainment, professional development, and career satisfaction. Part of our educational delivery includes engaging professionals from the local community as volunteers to deliver our learning experiences while sharing their work and career journeys with students. The combination of our volunteer delivery model and curriculum has been shown to inspire and prepare young people to find work and career success as adults.