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The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) projects that 2,185,000 students will earn a bachelor’s degree during the 2023-24 academic year, infusing candidate pools across industries with new talent, perspective, and enthusiasm.
As college students prepare for graduation, they ready themselves to leave academic cultures that they know well. They are familiar with the missions that drive their institutions. They understand, in a personal way, how an institution’s story matches the student experience. They can relate with students, prospective students, parents, alumni, leaders, and donors.
As higher ed professionals, we know there are numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth working in academia, but those benefits may not be as clear to students who are considering their career options. As they contemplate their future professional ambitions, college students should consider higher education — here’s why it’s an ideal industry for new grads and what they need to know.
Mission-Driven Work Aligns with Their Values
As a cohort, Generation Zers are known to value authenticity, and they are eager to engage in work that they deem important. “Generation Z is the ‘Purpose Generation.’ They are looking to become customers of brands and employees of companies that prioritize purpose,” Mark Beal, Rutgers University professor, writes in his book “Gen Z Graduates into Adulthood.”
Deloitte’s Global 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey polled 23,000 respondents from more than 40 countries. Nearly 85% of Gen Zers who were polled indicated that having a sense of purpose in their work is important to their well-being and their sense of satisfaction in their jobs. Jason Eckert, executive director of career services at University of Dayton, sees this in his daily work. “I think the number one thing I hear from our graduates is that they’re searching for meaningful work… in my experience, they’re more likely to accept a position if that opportunity, if that organization is in alignment with their own values and who they are as people.”
Mission-driven institutions of higher education are in step with Gen Zers’ values, having long created spaces for values-aligned work that fosters learning and promotes social responsibility.
Higher Ed Jobs Offer Flexibility and Rich Learning Opportunities
The Deloitte survey found that work-life balance and opportunities for professional development are Gen Zers’ top priorities when weighing where to work. While it is tempting to imagine that such a tech-savvy cohort would gravitate towards remote work, the reality is more nuanced for many Gen Zers.
“I think the words ‘flexible’ and ‘hybrid’ would be the key words vs ‘remote,'” Eckert said. He explained that mentoring and career support is appealing to the young professionals with whom he works. “We have talked to some recent grads who have left positions that were fully remote because they had a hard time finding community — finding mentoring if they’re in a mostly or exclusively online environment,” Eckert explained. “A lot of our graduating students are looking for an on-site opportunity or a hybrid role, maybe one-to-two days remote and then you work on-site with a team or with peers you can get to know and work with.”
A CUPA-HR survey conducted in 2023 indicated that a hybrid arrangement is the most common preference among higher ed professionals. Only about a quarter of respondents indicated that they have this arrangement at work, while around 10% noted that they are fully remote workers. Nearly 65% of respondents indicated their jobs take place fully or mostly on campus.
While the industry continues to evolve when it comes to hybrid work, many higher ed jobs offer some degree of flexibility when it comes to scheduling. The CUPA-HR survey found that nearly 60% of employees were satisfied with their schedule flexibility.
While only about 35% of respondents indicated satisfaction when it comes to professional development, higher ed has much to offer when it comes to ongoing opportunities for personal and professional growth. Employees have access to the lectures, symposia, and other special events that are a regular part of campus life.
Eckert noted that the robust tuition benefits colleges offer to full-time employees are another key job perk that stands to be especially appealing to Gen Zers. “That value is so attractive to young people –gaining another degree to benefit their career but not accumulating any additional cost or debt along the way,” Eckert said.
Meaningful Benefits, Including Mental Health
Higher ed institutions tend to offer robust employee benefits. The CUPA-HR survey found that nearly 80% of employees indicated they were satisfied with their health insurance, paid time off, and retirement benefits.
Mental health is especially important to Gen Zers. Beal writes: “Mental health, once a taboo topic, is of the utmost importance to Gen Z… When we look back 15-20 years from now, I believe Generation Z will receive credit for transforming mental health into a mainstream conversation in school, at work, and in popular culture that will never go away. They will encourage more employers to offer mental health benefits, including mental health days.”
Many institutions of higher education offer generous paid time off and robust mental health support, often including on-campus centers for care or crisis support resources.
Robust Cultures
Another quality that sets higher education apart from other employers is the robust cultures they offer employees. Eckert pointed out that engaging in the “marketplace of ideas” and having access to evolving technologies are key benefits. Theater, art galleries, athletics, and performances also round out the experience for those who work in higher education, he noted.
College campuses are dynamic and intellectually nutritious environments. For those who love to learn, they offer endless opportunities.
A Wide Range of Professional Opportunities
It takes a wide range of talented professionals to staff an institution of higher education. “Colleges are in themselves their own ecosystem,” Eckert said. “So, we need accountants to manage the books. We need people to work in human resources and finance. So, almost anything you can do in the corporate sector, you could look for a related opportunity within higher education.”
The class of 2024 knows this industry. Over the course of their study, they’ve learned the language of higher education. They know the culture. They stand to be fitting new hires for the industry, just as higher education is an ideal workplace for them to seed their start.
