{"id":160328,"date":"2018-08-17T16:50:37","date_gmt":"2018-08-17T16:50:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/generation-zzzz-they-are-next-big-consumer-group-but-just-how-do-teenagers-earn-their-money\/"},"modified":"2021-08-12T13:53:34","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T13:53:34","slug":"generation-zzzz-they-are-next-big-consumer-group-but-just-how-do-teenagers-earn-their-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theindustry.fashion\/generation-zzzz-they-are-next-big-consumer-group-but-just-how-do-teenagers-earn-their-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Generation Zzzz...: they are next big consumer group but just how do teenagers earn their money?"},"content":{"rendered":"
As this year\u2019s A Level and GSCE students collect their results I\u2019m going to look at the reasons behind the death of the Saturday job amongst this demographic - Generation Z or iGen - why they seem to need less money and whether this will make them less attractive as a target market<\/strong> to marketeers, brands and retailers.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) some 42% of 16- and 17-year-old students were studying and working simultaneously in 1997<\/strong>. This had dropped to just 18% in 2014.<\/span><\/p>\n Post-millennial youth - those born after 1996 - have been labelled as \u2018Generation Boring\u2019 or \u2018Generation Sensible\u2019<\/strong>. A recent survey by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service showed teenagers are becoming less likely to have sex, preferring to spend time with their families and having romantic relationships online. Teenage pregnancy rates have fallen by 55% in the last decade<\/strong> to their lowest ever level (July 2018). Add this to the rates of smoking, arrests, drug taking and drinking all falling and you can see why older generations are perplexed at this conservative and law abiding wave of youngsters.<\/span><\/p>\n Hannah Elderfield, Consumer Behavioural Analyst, Canvas8, says, \u201cFrom paper-rounds to sweeping up at the hairdressers, Saturday jobs can give a first taste of independence and provide useful future skills. But, data shows that less British teens are taking on part time work, with pressure to get good academic results partly the reason<\/strong>.\"<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cResearch conducted by the BBC found that the number of young teens working part time jobs after school or at the weekend has declined steadily since 2013<\/strong>. Businesses employing kids aged between 13 and 15 are required to apply for a permit, and the number of permits issued in 140 local authorities across the country fell by a fifth \u2013 dropping from 29,498 in 2012, to 23,071 in 2016.\u201d says Elderfield.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen looking at dropping levels of Gen-Z taking up weekend jobs in general, it\u2019s important to recognise the pressure teens today feel to do well in exams. 61% of 15- to 17-year-olds believe that good grades are more important than happiness!<\/strong> As a result, they\u2019re channelling their focus into a different type of work, the hard work of studying.\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n Leila Willingham, Founder @Digipigz<\/a>, which targets this demographic and offers \u2018market research and insights supplemented by their community of industry astute 16-24 year olds\u2019, says, \u201cWe think that statistics like that will mean marketing professionals label Gen Z as 'lazy'<\/strong> and what they won\u2019t be interpreting is that Gen Z are very future focused and these statistics could be off the back of their dedication to learning and prioritising their studies over a job at that age. It may even be that they are doing work experience as opposed to paid work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Today\u2019s teenagers don\u2019t seem to be so driven to get themselves a part-time job, like previous generations, and it\u2019s not because of a lack of opportunities. The number of jobseekers per vacancy has fallen to a record low despite a drop in the number of posts on offer. There was less than one person for each vacancy in June 2018 even though the number of advertised jobs fell by 5 per cent to 1.1million compared with a year ago, according to job site, Adzuna.\u00a0<\/span>Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed there are 32.4million people in work in the UK, a record high, and 388,000 more than a year earlier.\u00a0The National Minimum Wage for people under 18 is \u00a34.20, compared to \u00a37.83 for those over 25<\/strong>. But, you would think this would make them more attractive to low-skilled employers?\u00a0But, Generation Z seem to be set on concentrating on their studies.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mia, 15, from London, says, \u201cI don't have a Saturday job because I spend most of the day at a Dance School, which is my exercise and release from the pressures of school.\u00a0 I also have an absurd amount of homework which can take on average 2-3 hours a night\/day,<\/strong> leaving little time to work or socialise.\u00a0I also need some time to relax and recuperate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Her father, Darren, says, \u201cI feel that the amount of homework received certainly affects the possibilities\u00a0of part time work.\u00a0 The kids, today, are under a huge amount of pressure to live up to an adult role model, living a fantasy lifestyle. To be able to do this they know they need to succeed at school to achieve a high paying job. I also believe that parents are being lent on more to assist with these social lifestyles.<\/strong>\u00a0I had a part time job from the age of 12 to 17 and didn't rely on my parents much.\u00a0 But, at the same time I received a fraction of the workload from school that children seem to receive today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMany people think it\u2019s better to get qualifications before leaving education to work straight away<\/strong> as many believe it is the best way to achieve a high income.\u201d says Rhianna, 16, from Hounslow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not \u2018cool\u2019 to be seen flipping burgers or stacking shelves when you\u2019re living \u2018your best life\u2019 on social media<\/strong>. If Generation Z are too busy studying and doing their homework then they aren\u2019t spending money on going out, drinking and maybe the knock on effects of needing new clothes to go out in etc. But, this doesn\u2019t take into account teens documenting their lives through social media and the tendency towards materialism and showing off what they have.<\/span><\/p>\n Rihanna, 16, says: \u201cSome people get their money from 'cool' jobs like modelling or Saturday jobs,<\/strong> but many people use other illegal ways to allow them to quickly achieve the 'lavish lifestyle'. I get my money from my Mum and Dad and my grandparents, but I have to do jobs around the house. People want money and usually don\u2019t mind sharing the fact that they have a job if it enables them to flaunt the expensive things they have bought on Instagram.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mia, 15, says: \u201cThere is definitely a truth in not wanting to do 'uncool' jobs. On Social Media you don't really see people working Saturday jobs and most of what you do see is a glamorous lifestyle.<\/strong>\u00a0This creates a false impression of what you should be aspiring to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Teenagers are more reliant than ever on their parents for money.\u00a0<\/span>Liliah Zion, 14, from London, says: \u201cMy Mum gives me \u00a340 a month to my account for which I am supposed to help with household chores,<\/strong> but, then I get more on top. Everyone just relies on their parents or sells clothing\/stuff on depop<\/a>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Her mother, Caroline, says, \u201cI want my 14 year old daughter to work, as does she, however, I think she in the minority, and I recently asked a friend, who owns a long established West London clothing store, if she could work. He was dubious, but said \"yes if she was genuinely into it\u201d so that\u2019s on the cards. She has been babysitting to earn money for herself. One of her friend\u2019s Mum\u2019s recently told me her daughter couldn\u2019t even comprehend that she needed to work\u2026 ever<\/strong>, and her fear was that because she doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n