Over the years, the tech industry has expanded into a vast industry. It has spearheaded various innovations and breakthroughs at a rapid pace. With this in mind, the industry caters to a wide range of tech professionals.

The article tackles the relationship between the tech industry and Gen Z. It chronicles the top reasons Gen Zs should consider a career in tech. From low barriers to entry to different benefits, see the in-depth explanations on how to approach a career in the tech industry.

Who is the Gen Z? 

Generation Z or Gen Z for short is a group of people born in the years of 1997 and 2012, according to the Pew Research Center. This means that the age range of Gen Zs is in-between nine and 25 years old. They’re the latest generation to enter the workforce and have distinct values from other generations that came before them.

Why Gen Zs Should Consider a Career in Tech 

Gen Zs have an advantage over their older generational counterparts because they grew up immersed in technology. These individuals have experienced life with technology by their side. Below are the reasons why Gen Zs should consider different careers in tech.

Evergreen and Growing Industry 

The tech industry is an evergreen and rapidly growing industry. Companies around the world continuously seek out people with tech skills. This in turn develops a healthy demand for professionals within the industry.

An example of this is the software development industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job outlook for software developers is around 22 percent. The job outlook of this profession is much faster than the national average. The data also expects that there’d be 189,200 new job openings each year, over the course of the decade.

This ever-increasing demand for tech employment provides a great opportunity for Gen Zs. 

Job search wouldn’t be difficult as the tech industry grows larger. High demand for these types of professions means long-term relevancy for technical skills.

Low Barriers to Entry

There’s a misconception that the tech industry has high barriers to entry and that young people don’t have the capabilities to enter it. Due to rapid changes in the educational system, new methods of learning have sprung up that can help Gen Zs enter the tech workforce.

An example of this is coding bootcamps. These alternative educational institutions provide their students with practical knowledge to help them jumpstart their tech careers. Bootcamps like App Academy or General Assembly offer short-term training courses on various tech careers.

Other pathways to start a career in tech are online courses, different blogs, and educational videos. There’s a myriad of learning resources that Gen Zs can utilize to help them in their journey into the tech industry.

Work-Life Balance and Flexible Working Hours

The tech industry commonly offers flexible working hours to its professionals. These opportunities are widespread and can offer Gen Zs the work-life balance that they want. Also, it’s prevalent in the tech industry to have remote or hybrid work setups. This resonates with Gen Z's values of independence and being in control of their working hours.

Excellent Pay and Benefits

In relation to the high demand, tech professions often have substantial pay and great benefits in comparison to other industries. Most tech companies offer perks to attract prospective talents. 

According to Payscale, the average salary of a software engineer is about $88,566. Senior software engineers can have compensations of up to $130,000. While entry-level software engineers can earn around $64,000.

An Environment of Constant Learning 

The tech industry focuses on developing innovative and creative solutions to various problems. This is a great fit for Gen Zs because they want their work to have a positive impact on the world. A workplace that fosters constant learning would be an ideal environment to cultivate Gen Z's values. 

Should I Consider a Career in Tech as a Gen Z? 

Yes, you should consider a career in tech as a Gen Z because the industry has high demand and is only looking to grow over the years. The industry also offers flexible work hours and substantial pay that can attract Gen Z talent. All in all, it’ll depend on discretion and individual values that can turn this generation into a career in tech.