What Do Millennials and Gen Zs Aspire to Learn? Insights from Our Team

SINGAPORE: There’s a popular notion that Millennials and Gen Zs are “forever kids.” Unlike previous generations, we appear youthful, act playfully, and seem to have an almost irrational fear of the inevitable aging process. While there’s much to unpack about this phenomenon, it does reflect a willingness to embrace upskilling and lifelong learning.

A recent LinkedIn survey revealed that Gen Z workers are more inclined to return to school for skill enhancement, while Millennials are more interested in online classes. Curious about the skills our colleagues from these generations are keen to develop, I decided to ask them directly.

1) Gen Zs I began with our Gen Z colleagues. Hannah, 26, expressed a desire to refine her baking skills. “I always like baking because it helps me de-stress. I wouldn’t mind starting a home bakery,” she shared, though it’s worth noting she hasn’t baked anything for me yet!

Tharun, 25, immediately stated his interest in learning new languages. “Don’t you already know like five?” I questioned. “Yeah, I want to learn more. I’m currently learning Chinese,” he replied, amusingly underestimating his own linguistic skills.

2) Millennials Next, I turned to my Millennial colleagues, whom some might affectionately refer to as the “older generation” of our team. Both individuals had more practical aspirations. Andrew, 31, mentioned wanting his girlfriend to enroll in a massage course (I didn’t pry further). He also expressed interest in coding, stating, “It seems super useful.”

“What do you want to code?” I asked cautiously. “EVERYTHING,” he replied, leaving it at that.

Belmont, 40, had a quirky list of aspirations:

Guitar maker: “Because it’s cool.”
Pastry chef: “Because it’s harder than cooking.”
Taxi driver: “So I can have fun conversations with passengers.”
Coder: (???)
When I inquired about the last one, he joked, “So I’ll know who to blame when we have website issues!”

Our team may be a bit eccentric, but their ambitions reflect a desire to adapt and learn.

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Forever Learning Though I’m not “old,” I can remember when the iPhone first hit the market. I scoffed at my mother’s offer of her old iPhone 3G, declaring, “That’s so stupid; it doesn’t even have a keyboard.” Fast forward to today, and I can’t imagine living without my iPhone’s three-camera system and endless storage.

The world is changing rapidly, with new innovations and trends emerging constantly. This makes adaptability more crucial than ever. Millennials and Gen Zs may be labeled “forever kids,” but that can be seen as a compliment. Kids are flexible, adaptable, and capable of learning at an impressive pace.

While we might not possess their neuroplasticity, we still have numerous avenues for learning: offline courses, online resources, YouTube tutorials, and TikTok lessons.

So, go ahead and embrace learning something new. As for me, I’m committed to continuously upskilling in my beloved role, and who knows, maybe I’ll pitch a chocolate-making course to HR as a worthy expense!