75% of jobs will require advanced digital skills by 2030 as Gen Z becomes the most digitally-capable generation yet.
That's according to a new report on the impact of COVID-19 on Gen Z’s employment prospects, which was published by advisory firm Oxford Economics and commissioned by camera and social media company Snap.
It claims that by the end of this decade, 75% of jobs will require advanced digital skills, with employers looking for knowledge in areas such as augmented reality (AR), a market expected to see a 10-fold increase in value by 2023.
Moreover, recruiters will be more inclined to employ candidates with strong tech know-how and so-called ‘cognitive skills’ like creativity and critical thinking.
This means that Gen Z, which the report defines as those born between 1995 and 2010, will be at a greater advantage than other age groups due to the digital capabilities they have gained by growing up surrounded by technology.
In fact, despite fears that remote education caused by lockdown restrictions is hindering young people’s future prospects, the Oxford Economics report found that the pandemic is unlikely to hinder Gen Z’s earning power and long-term employment prospects.
Oxford Economics director Henry Worthington said that the research “shows that we need to move away from teaching young people to accumulate knowledge, to a more well-rounded education which focuses on the application of this knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking”.
"Simply put, in the near future workers will have to do the jobs that computers can’t. This isn’t about robots taking our jobs, it’s about making sure we train up the next generation to think and work in ways which computers can’t,” he added.
Commenting on the findings, Snap’s International VP Claire Valoti said that, despite the current challenges faced by young people, “there is a real case for optimism particularly if we can equip young people for a fast changing digital economy”.
“Technologies like Augmented Reality have the potential to permeate all aspects of society and to drive demand for a new set of creative and technical digital skills over the next decade and most promisingly for Gen Z, AR entrepreneurs highly value the soft skills inherent to Gen Z including creativity, agility and an eagerness to learn,” added Valoti.
