It’s known that Gen Z are moving away from the dreaded “hustle culture” in favour of more secure, long term jobs, and they know what they want from their employers. Climate change, travel and roles where they are not at a desk all day is top priority for young people, according to a new survey. The research has been commissioned by Southeastern Rail to celebrate the railway’s 200th anniversary this year, and shows the surprising similarities between Gen Z’s job aspirations, goals and hobbies and why a career in rail is a match made in heaven.
Gen Z no longer wants to bounce between jobs and toxic workplaces that don’t fulfil their ethics and career goals; they are moving full-steam towards steady, rewarding jobs that match up with their principles. And what matters the most? The survey, which was focused on what Gen Z want from a job role, revealed:
- Three quarters (73%) want a good work-life balance
- Nearly half (47%) don’t want a desk-based job
- Nearly half (47%) want a good work culture
- 44% want strong career development prospects
- A third (34%) want to work in a company with strong mental health support/resources
- 26% want strong diversity & inclusion processes
- A quarter (25%) prioritise sustainability - In fact, 55% said they research an employer’s environmental impact and policies before accepting a job offer*
When it comes to hobbies, it may be no surprise that nearly half (49%) chose travel, only slightly topped by 51% choosing social media. Seeing and making new friends came out at 41%, with gaming also one of the top at 25%. Why does this matter? Gen Z are picking jobs based on what they love to do. When asked what they think are the career aspirations for their generation, the majority of the answers were for non “traditional” roles. For example, over a third (33%) chose being a pro-gamer, over half (56%) chose to work in social media and nearly a quarter (21%) wanted to be involved in environmental work.
With climate change being top on the priority list, coupled with desk jobs on the way out and travel being the number one hobby, Southeastern is championing its varied roles as the go-to solution for the Gen Z generation. 82% of Southeastern Rail roles are non-desk based, which includes train drivers, engineers and station staff. The rail industry is also one of the least-polluting, most environmental modes of mass transportation and young people have the opportunity to be a part of this innovative evolution. Southeastern has transformative plans to reduce carbon emissions, enhance their resilience to climate change and take more cars off the road.
We also know young people want to travel above all else, but the cost of living can be a non-stop worry. When employed with Southeastern, there is free travel on all Southeastern services and heavily discounted rail travel across the UK. With the average UK salary of 18-29 year olds at £28,366**, they could save over £3,000 each year on travel alone if they joined Southeastern, that’s over 10% of a salary! Spending a weekend trendy Margate at the beach or a day trip to the historic market town of Tunbridge Wells has never been easier (or cheaper!).
In terms of the top skills of Gen Z, they are confident, go-getters who aren’t afraid to try new things and strike up conversations. 40% said they had strong people skills, 44% said they are quick thinkers and independent, 41% said they are good at problem solving and nearly a quarter (25%) have good computer skills. With all of the above goals, aspirations and skills, the rail industry makes the perfect match for young people, even though it is often overlooked. For example:
- The quick thinkers who love gaming would be the perfect signallers or Control Room Operators who monitor train movements on computer systems, operate controls in an electronic control centre and frequently communicate with the drivers.
- For those that have good computer and problem solving skills, considering a role in engineering could be the one for them where they could work on a range of roles, from servicing trains, to materials and planning or technical and quality.
- If travelling is a priority and they work best independently, then a train driver could be the perfect job role, where they’ll travel all over the South East of England.
- Or, if they are a whizz on social media and like working in a team, then a role in the Head Office would be a good match. From marketing, to HR to working on the social team, there’s a huge number of options.
- For those that have good people skills, are good at problem solving and don’t want to be at a desk, a customer facing role such as Station Staff or Revenue Protection Officer could be perfect.
Steve Foster, People Director at Southeastern, said: “We are working hard to change the perceptions around rail and that means doing everything we can to attract young people to choose a career in rail’s exciting, digital and green future.
It is clear from this research that the variety of roles Southeastern - and the wider railway - can offer matches really well with the things which are important to young people - such as companies with sustainability focuses, support for all backgrounds, free travel as well as the opportunity to get out from behind a desk and working hours which suit your lifestyle and interests. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never worked in rail before or haven’t been on a train - the important question is ‘can you move people?’ if so - we would love to hear from you!”
With 2025 being a landmark year for the rail industry, Southeastern is on a mission to change awareness within young people to consider a career in rail this year. To find out more about the different careers available at Southeastern, go to:
https://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/about-us/company/careers-at-southeastern
