Trend Spotlight: Gen-Z’s Self-Education Revolution

Each month, Weber Shandwick’s Trends in Two Minutes bulletin outlines three trends impacting businesses throughout Asia Pacific. With Trend Spotlight, we share some of the individual trends highlighted. Today, exploring how (and why) Generation Z is increasingly seeking out alternative forms of education.

In the early months of the pandemic, online learning skyrocketed – not just for children but also for adults. In March and April, some of the largest MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) providers saw year-on-year boosts in course registration between 400-640%. Globally, it represented a rapid influx of over ten million users, just for those providers.

It’s a trend of particular interest to Gen Z consumers and professionals. As previously explored in Trends in Two Minutes, Generation Z differ from their millennial forebears in that they preference individual ownership and entrepreneurialism over communal or shared experiences – with many drawn to skill-building activities and platforms as a result.

This trend towards independent learning and custom education has only been exacerbated by the events of 2020. With pandemic pressures leading to both widespread unemployment and considerable strain in higher education sectors, members of Gen Z are more invested than ever in the acquisition of new skills in non-traditional environments.

For communicators, it’s a powerful insight on how to connect with one of the world’s most influential demographics – i.e. by providing genuine, practical and accessible learning opportunities. Recalling the dynamics of previously-identified 2020 trend of the new value of expertise, young consumers are craving tangible support in a complex time.

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