Gen-Z sets the record straight on what it’s like to be in the workforce
Published: January 3, 2023Gen-Z is defined as somebody born between 1997 to 2012. And while it feels like this generation is still young, they are already in the workforce and learning skills to propel themselves towards career success.
On December 7, Y.O.U. joined the City Club of Cleveland in hosting a panel with Gen-Z workers ready to set the record straight on what it’s like to work while still in high school. Grace Heffernan from the Northeast Ohio Workers Center spoke with youth from CSMD Cleveland Early College, City Club Youth Forum Council, and Y.O.U. Internships, and with Cherise Kent, Y.O.U. summer jobs supervisor and Green Corps coordinator at Holden Forests & Gardens. Everyone in the audience was amazed at the maturity with which the panels shared about their job experiences.
Ysamere Coaston shared about her experience working and forming a union with her co-workers at Starbucks. Da'Nita Goins shared about her experience working in Mayor Bibb’s office.
Da'Nita Goins, Y.O.U. Intern
Da’Nita found that “interning at the mayor’s office was really eye opening. Even on the first day, everyone was talking together. It was a beautiful community. They were really focused on making Cleveland a better place. Between my internship and the workshops I did with Y.O.U. staff, I get a taste for career success now so it’s easier for the future.”
If experts are still trying to understand Gen-Z’s place in the workforce, the best place to get answers is from these professional and eloquent workers themselves. Cherise Kent has witnessed that within Gen-Z. “There’s already a desire to create something authentic to themselves but to also make a mark on the world.”
Watch the full panel here: