Gen Z is lazy, lacks confidence, avoids phone calls, and cannot handle face-to-face communication.
Every time I scroll through Instagram, I come across another meme reinforcing this stereotype. You may think the caricature is unfair, but whichever side of the debate you sit on, one thing is becoming impossible to ignore: too many young people are struggling to make the leap from education into the real world of work.
And that should concern every employer in Slough.
ONS figures reveal that, nationally, almost one million young people aged 16-24 are now classed as NEET – not in education, employment or training. Around 12.8% of young people across the UK fall into that category, and youth unemployment has risen sharply over the past year. Some experts are now warning Britain could be heading towards a “jobless generation.”
But statistics only tell part of the story.
Speak to employers, and many will say the same thing. Young people often arrive without understanding workplace expectations. They are nervous in interviews. Unsure how to communicate professionally. Uncertain what a job feels like day to day.
Yet perhaps we should ask ourselves a tougher question. How can we expect young people to understand work when we are not giving them enough opportunities to experience it?
This generation grew up through COVID lockdowns, online learning, social media, and increasingly digital communication. Many missed out on the informal life lessons previous generations absorbed naturally through Saturday jobs, work shadowing, and everyday face-to-face interaction.
That is why Viva Slough has launched a new initiative called Stepping Stones. Through the Stepping Stones programme, young people aged 18-25 are being offered voluntary work placements with local organisations and businesses across Slough. The aim is not to fill vacancies. It is to build confidence, communication skills, workplace awareness, and ambition.
And the response from employers has honestly been inspiring.
Businesses across Slough have stepped forward with real enthusiasm, recognising that investing in young people today means investing in the future workforce of this town. Many employers tell us they genuinely enjoy mentoring young people and watching confidence grow week by week. Sometimes, all it takes is exposure, encouragement, and someone believing in them.
This is also why one of the strongest themes within Slough’s bid to become UK Town of Culture 2028 is the opportunity for young people. Culture is not just about performances and murals. It is about aspiration. Belonging. Skills. Confidence. Pathways into the future.
If Slough is serious about changing perceptions, we must become a town that backs its young people not just with words, but with opportunities.
So, I want to challenge every employer in Slough, big or small, to step forward. Offer a placement. A shadowing opportunity. A few weeks of exposure to the workplace.
Because this is about far more than charity.
It is about helping shape the future of Britain’s workforce
