87% of Gen Z Workers Feel Unprepared to Succeed in the Workforce
A new survey from Instructure explores how prepared people feel to navigate today's workforce, utilize digital tools, and adapt to change. For its State of Learning and Readiness Report, the company surveyed 1,210 employed U.S. adults ages 18 and older, in partnership with The Harris Poll, paying particular attention to generational differences in perceived readiness.
Overall, 70% of U.S. workers said they feel unprepared to succeed. And a striking 87% of Gen Z workers — the newest generation in the workforce, as the report points out — feel unprepared to succeed, citing limited guidance, unclear paths from school to career, and uncertainty about which skills and credentials matter most. In contrast, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers reported higher levels of confidence.
Other findings include:
- 73% of respondents said they are unprepared to adapt to career changes or disruptions in the next five years.
- 64% plan to change jobs within two years
- 32% worry that their skills won't survive economic shifts.
- 88% believe more training would help career advancement.
- 60% want to upskill to switch careers, but don't know which credentials matter most.
- 26% cite lack of digital skills as a barrier.
- 50% are currently using AI on the job.
"Workers are telling us they want to grow, and that motivation is the foundation of the future workforce," said Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure, in a statement. "When employers and educators come together, we can turn ambition into advancement and build a culture of lifelong learning that powers the future of work."
The full report is available here on the Instructure site (registration required).
About the Author
Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].