Gen Z

Network Trends

Actionable data from our network of students, career centers, and employers.

Data-driven insights from the Handshake network

Today’s students and new grads have a unique perspective on remote work and flexibility. Learning and working remotely isn’t novel to them—they’ve navigated their share of Zoom classes and remote internships, and they’re clear-eyed about the pros and cons. And after having their college experience disrupted by the pandemic, they’re craving both in-person interaction and sustainable work-life balance. 

As a result, at a time when many people think of remote work and flexible work as one and the same, this generation’s priorities are more nuanced. Benefits like being able to set their own schedule are often as or more important to them than the option to work from home.

Not every employer can offer remote work. But any employer can appeal to this new generation of talent by broadening their definition of flexibility and getting creative about the flexible work benefits they can offer. Our research reveals four things all employers should keep in mind:

Most early-career professionals want to work in person at least some of the time. Of students on Handshake who say remote work is an option in their field, only 14% would prefer a fully-remote role.

Remote work matters less to early talent than other forms of flexibility. For example, 71% of students are more likely to apply to a job with a flexible schedule, compared to just 37% who are more likely to apply to a job with hybrid work options.

Early talent believes both remote and in-person work can support productivity and well-being. Two thirds of students say they can produce high-quality work in both remote and in-person settings, and more than half say work-life balance can be a benefit of either remote or in-person work.

Identity plays an important role in shaping remote and in-person work experiences. For example, women are less likely than men to say opportunities for training, mentorship, and advancement are benefits of in-person work.

Read on for a deeper dive into each of these insights.

Most early-career hires want to spend time in the office

Our research over the past year has consistently shown that students and new grads prefer hybrid work. In our latest survey, 75% of students who plan to work in fields where remote work is an option said they’re hoping for a job with a hybrid schedule, while only 14% said they’d like to be fully remote.

It’s also important to remember that remote work simply isn’t possible in many fields. About 40% of students on Handshake plan to pursue jobs that typically require in-person work, such as certain roles in education, healthcare, agriculture, or transportation. These students fully expect to work in person, and it’s likely that for many, in-person work aligns with their strengths and the types of roles they’re excited about.

Early talent values other forms of work-life flexibility above remote work

Flexibility can mean many things. For some early-career professionals, the option to work remotely may be an important part of what makes a job feel “flexible”—but for most, other aspects of work-life flexibility matter more than remote or hybrid work.

When asked about the factors that motivate them to apply for certain jobs, for example, 71% of students say they’d be more likely to apply for a job with a flexible schedule. That’s compared to just 21% who would be more likely to apply to a fully remote job, and 37% who would be more likely to apply to a job that offered hybrid work options.

Our data also shows that early-career talent cares less about flexibility for flexibility’s sake, and more about whether an employer’s policies support them in pursuing interests and priorities outside of work. For example, only about a third of students say it’s very important that they’re able to set their own work hours—but more than two thirds say it’s very important that they’re able to find time for hobbies and step away from work as needed to handle personal responsibilities.

Early talent believes both remote and in-person work can support productivity and well-being

When it comes to productivity, work-life balance, and opportunity to advance, most early-career professionals don’t think remote or in-person work is necessarily better. Rather, they see benefits to both—which may explain why so many prefer a hybrid schedule.

However, early talent does believe in-person work is better for collaboration and relationships with colleagues. More than half of students on Handshake say increased opportunity to collaborate is a clear benefit of in-person work, and two thirds say the same of the ability to build stronger relationships.

Race and gender play an important role in shaping in-person work experiences

Although most women and students of color want to work in person at least some of the time, their feelings about in-person work differ in several important ways. Black and Hispanic or Latine students, in particular, are less likely than white students to say it’s easier to collaborate and build relationships in person, and less likely to believe working in person will result in more opportunities for training and mentorship, which may help to explain why they are often more likely to prefer remote work.

Likewise, women are less likely than men to believe working in person will benefit their careers. Only 21% of women say opportunity for recognition and advancement is a clear benefit of in-person work, compared to 31% of men. For employers looking to create fair and effective return-to-office strategies, these differences point to the importance of ensuring in-person work environments are inclusive and offer equal benefit to all employees.

The future is flexible

On Handshake, we see more and more employers beginning to adapt to Gen Z’s flexibility preferences. The share of fully-remote roles on our platform has declined steadily over the past year, and remote roles now account for only about 5% of active job openings. At the same time, however, mentions of flexibility in job descriptions have increased. About 24% of jobs on Handshake nodded to flexibility in their descriptions as of July 2023, compared to around 18% in January 2020.

The future of remote work is still uncertain. What is clear, though, is that students and new grads want their employers to take a more holistic approach to flexibility. Any employer can offer flexibility benefits that appeal to this new generation of talent, and employers that embrace an expansive definition of flexible work will have a big advantage when it comes to attracting early-career hires.

Methodology

Student sentiment surveys

Between June 26–July 12, 2023, Handshake randomly invited students across the platform to participate in an online survey. After cleaning, 2,617 students pursuing bachelor's degrees completed the survey.

Survey weighting

In order to provide a more representative snapshot of student sentiment across four-year college students in the US, survey responses were weighted by gender, race and ethnicity, and selectivity using institutional enrollment numbers from federal NCES datasets.

Job description data

To determine change in the share of job descriptions mentioning flexibility, Handshake analyzed full-time job descriptions that were active in a given month on the Handshake network between 1/1/2022 to 7/1/2023.

How Gen Z defines “flexibility” (hint: it includes in-person work)

Key takeaways

Early-career accountants are in demand across industries. Accountant is the second most-posted job role on Handshake, and is among the top five most-posted roles in nine different industries.

After a dip in recent years, interest in accounting careers may be rebounding. About 2.5% of Class of 2025 bachelor’s degree students on Handshake are majoring in accounting, up from 2.1% of the Class of 2023.

Accounting firms are increasingly emphasizing social impact—and it’s paying off. More than 1 in 4 accounting jobs posted on Handshake in 2023 mentioned social impact, and jobs that included social impact keywords in their descriptions received about 80% more applications.

Students from a range of majors are applying to accountant roles. Business, economics, and political science majors make up a significant share of applicants to accountant roles, and tech majors now account for about 15% of the applicant pool.

Early-career accountants are in demand across industries

Employers posted more than 27,000 full-time accountant roles on Handshake in 2023, making accountant the second most in-demand role after general administrative support workers. Notably, the median salary listed for full-time accountant openings also rose by about 10% between November 2022 and November 2023. Industry leaders expect demand for early-career accountants to continue to grow; a 2023 report by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA) found that 50% of US CPA firms expected to increase hiring of new grads into accounting functions, while only 6% expected to decrease hiring.

While a significant share of the demand for early-career accountants comes from financial services firms, students and new grads with accounting skills have opportunities available to them in almost any industry. About 75% of the accountant roles posted on Handshake in 2023 came from companies in industries outside financial services—including government, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology—and accountants were among the top five most-posted roles in nine different industries.

Kate Guerrero, director of Business Career Services at Cal State Fullerton College of Business, confirms that students in the College’s accounting concentration are graduating with a wide range of job opportunities. “In today's dynamic accounting landscape, accounting students are empowered with a variety of career path options spanning public, corporate, and government accounting realms,” Guerrero explains. “While many of our students follow the traditional public accountant career path, we are seeing an increasing number of students exploring career paths, and securing positions, in industries outside of financial services.”

After a dip in recent years, interest in accounting careers may be rebounding

The number of undergraduate accounting degrees awarded fell steeply between 2016 and 2022, mid ongoing concerns about strict CPA licensing requirements creating a high barrier to entry for the profession. But accounting is now seeing a slight uptick in popularity among students on Handshake. A little over 2.5% of students in the Class of 2025 are accounting majors, up from about 2.1% of the Class of 2023, with finance majors following a similar trend.

There are many possible reasons for this rebound in interest, but job security likely plays a big role. A 2023 survey by accounting firm EY found that “career stability and comfortable lifestyle” was the most common motivation students cited for pursuing accounting careers—and with stability and financial well-being increasingly top of mind for early talent, it’s not surprising that more students are considering this field. EY also noted that more than three quarters of students believe an accounting degree will have long-term career benefits, and about a third see an accounting career as a stepping-stone to other leadership opportunities.

AT&T is one company that’s successfully recruiting early-career accountants by emphasizing career development and the chance to build a wide range of leadership skills. Astad Dhunjisha, Vice President of Global Talent Acquisition for AT&T, notes that participants in the telecom leader’s Accounting Leadership Development Program “are afforded hands-on experience across corporate accounting roles including the controller, tax, and audit divisions” and “gain a deep understanding of the strategies and leadership skills required for growth.” AT&T also “backs its participants throughout the program, offering valuable support such as covering the cost for CPA materials and exams, a one-time bonus upon passing the CPA exam, and for some, the potential of a full-time role after their program ends.” The program has seen a 10% increase in applicants since its launch in 2022, which Dhunisha says “highlights the enthusiasm we’ve seen from applicants and participants and underscores AT&T’s commitment to creating a robust pipeline of future finance leaders.”

More accounting firms are emphasizing social impact—and it’s paying off

“Opportunity to contribute to society” and “the chance to impact sustainability” are two of the top four reasons students choose to pursue accounting, according to EY. And while accounting firms haven’t historically emphasized opportunity for social impact in their recruiting—only 29% of the executives EY surveyed said their team highlights this as a benefit to prospective employees—that’s starting to change, especially as the industry evolves to include more roles focused on issues like pay equity and climate change.

More than 1 in 4 of accountant jobs posted on Handshake in 2023 mentioned keywords related to environmental and social responsibility, responsible governance, and diversity and inclusion, compared to 1 in 5 in 2021. Jobs that mentioned these keywords received about 80% more applications on average. As a result, jobs with social impact keywords received more than a third of all applications to accountant roles in 2023, up from just over a quarter two years ago. EY research also found that more than 7 in 10 students believe they could make a real-world impact as an accountant, further indication that early-career professionals are taking note of a shift in the industry.

Mügé Tuna, Director of Employer Engagement & Strategic Partnerships for Undergraduate Career Services at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, says increased emphasis on social impact is helping drive an uptick in interest in accounting among students. “At Kelley, we have observed a significant increase in accounting majors from the class of 2024 to the class of 2025,” says Tuna. “This change underscores the shifting dynamics within the field and the broader interests of our students.” She notes that the university’s accounting program incorporates an intentional focus on social impact, explaining that “our aim is to equip our students not only with the skills to manage the complexities of accounting but also with the leadership qualities necessary to appreciate and contribute to social responsibility in their careers.”

Madison Perich, a senior at Cal State Fullerton, was drawn to accounting and to a role with EY because of the opportunity for positive social impact. “Choosing accounting isn’t just about numbers; it’s about being a part of a positive change," Perich says. “It's important to me to align myself with a company that holds values similar to my own. EY’s focus on issues like sustainability and social responsibility is the reason I chose to pursue a career with their firm.” Perich will start a full-time role in EY’s Los Angeles office after graduation.

Students from a range of majors are applying to accountant roles

A finance or accounting degree isn’t the only pathway into an accounting career. Core skills such as mathematics, data analysis, and general business knowledge can be gained through a variety of degree programs, and with early-career accountants in high demand it’s not surprising that students from a range of academic backgrounds are showing interest in this field.

In particular, as accounting becomes more tech-enabled, students majoring in tech fields (such as computer science, data science, and business analytics) are increasingly likely to consider accountant roles. Tech majors made up about 15% of applicants to accountant openings on Handshake in 2023, compared to about 9% in 2020.

Accounting is undergoing an exciting transformation

Over the past few years, several factors have converged to reignite interest in accounting and challenge the industry’s outdated reputation. Accounting firms and professionals are finding new ways to impact social issues such as climate change and economic equity. Cutting-edge technologies, including AI, are reshaping what accounting work looks like and what accountants can accomplish. At the same time, a new generation craving stability and security is recognizing the benefits of accounting careers. Accounting has a bright future, and Gen Z will play a major role in shaping its next chapter.

Methodology

Application and job post trends are based on Handshake platform activity between December 2019 and December 2023.

Industry classifications are based on employer self-identification on the Handshake platform.

Major classifications are based on data provided by students and higher education institutions through the Handshake platform.

Tech majors include bachelor's degree students majoring in the following fields: Business Analytics, Computer Engineering, Computer Engineering Technologies & Technicians, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Computer Systems Networking & Telecommunications, Cyber Security, Data Mining, Data Science, Information Systems Management, Mathematics, Software Design, Statistics, User Experience/Social Computing

Gen Z gives accounting careers a closer look

Key findings

The federal government is doubling down on early-career hiring. Job postings from federal employers on Handshake have increased by 22% over the past year.

The federal government’s efforts to attract early talent are paying off. Total applications to federal employers have more than doubled over the past year, and the average number of applications per open job has increased by 55%, compared to a 38% increase across all industries.

Jobs in the federal government are appealing to students with many different skill sets. Business, computer science, and civics and government majors account for a large share of applicants, and students in niche in-demand majors such as cybersecurity and epidemiology submit a significant share of their applications to federal roles.

Students from minority-serving institutions are submitting more applications to federal roles. Total applications to federal employers from students at minority-serving institutions have doubled year over year, and applications from students at historically Black colleges and universities are up 110%.

Federal employers are hiring nationwide. Unsurprisingly, Washington, D.C. has the highest concentration of federal jobs—but there are opportunities for early talent across the country, including in cities like Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco.

The federal government is doubling down on early-career hiring

Building a pipeline of future leaders is an increasingly urgent priority for the federal government. A third of federal employees are over age 55, which means they’re nearing retirement, and only 8% are under age 30. Hiring more students and new grads is critical to shifting those demographics.

Earlier this year, the federal Office of Personnel Management issued new guidance encouraging all federal agencies to increase pathways for Gen Z to enter the federal workforce, and launched a centralized portal for students exploring internship opportunities in the federal government. Every federal agency uses Handshake—alongside other government recruiting tools like USAJobs—to connect with early-career talent, and federal employers are steadily expanding their activity on the Handshake platform.

Federal employers posted 22% more full-time jobs on Handshake between August 2022 and August 2023 compared to the prior year, with several major agencies more than doubling the number of jobs they posted. Some job types—including customer support, accounting, and environmental science roles—saw even stronger growth. Postings for tech roles also ticked up; for example, postings for data science and analytics roles increased 9%, and postings for computer and network security roles were up 6%.

To fill these new job openings, the federal government is stepping up proactive outreach and casting a wider net in both virtual and in-person recruiting. The average federal employer messaged about 24% more students through the Handshake platform between August 2022 and August 2023 compared to the prior year, and federal employers collectively reached out to students at more than 2,000 schools—an increase in school reach of about 25%. Federal employers also collectively registered for about 3,000 career fairs on Handshake between August 2022 and August 2023, an increase of about 15% compared to the prior year.

The federal government’s efforts to attract early-career talent are paying off

Students on Handshake are showing strong and growing interest in federal government roles. Total applications to federal employers have more than doubled over the past year, and the average number of applications per open job has increased by 55%, compared to a 38% increase across all industries. As a result, federal jobs now receive twice as many applications on average as jobs on Handshake overall. Visits to federal employer profile pages are also up by 26%, compared to an increase of just 17% across all employers. And federal employers received applications from students at more than 1,500 schools between August 2022 and August 2023—up from about 1,200 schools the prior year.

College and university leaders are seeing this increased interest firsthand. Saskia Campbell, Executive Director of University Career Services at George Mason University, says students at George Mason “are attracted to public service because they are seeking purpose-driven work, craving job security, and understand that the federal government is the largest employer with opportunities in our local area, across the country and the world.”

Gihan Fernando, Assistant Vice Provost of the American University Career Center, is seeing a similar trend. “American University students have always been interested in making societal impact through careers in the federal government,” says Fernando. “Federal agencies like the US Department of State and the intelligence agencies are regularly in the top five most desired employers among our students.”

Interest in federal tech roles, in particular, is quickly outpacing interest in similar roles with other employers. For example, the average number of applications to software developer openings in the federal government increased by almost 200% over the past year, compared to an increase of about 100% across all other industries, and we see similar trends for data scientist and information security analyst roles.

Jobs in the federal government are appealing to students with many different skill sets

No single academic major dominates the federal applicant pool on Handshake, and the majors that are best-represented range from business, to computer science, to social science and civics and government (including political science and international studies). Notably—and in keeping with the theme of federal tech roles gaining popularity—computer science majors are slightly overrepresented in the federal applicant pool compared to applicants on Handshake overall.

Total application volume is only part of the story, though, especially when it comes to students in small-but-in-demand fields. To understand interest from students in niche majors, we can look at the share of their applications that are submitted to roles in the federal government. For example, about 10% of applications from cybersecurity majors are submitted to federal roles, compared to only about 3% of applications across all majors—and that number has increased significantly over the past year. This is encouraging news for federal employers looking to recruit students with specialized skills.

Students from minority-serving institutions are submitting more applications to federal roles

The federal government has made a strong commitment to diversifying its workforce, and that effort is yielding results with early talent. Total applications to federal roles from students at minority-serving institutions (MSIs) have doubled year over year. Applications from students at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) are up 87%, and applications from students at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are up 110%.

HBCU students, in particular, are also submitting a significantly greater share of their total applications to federal roles. Between August 2022 and August 2023, 7.1% of all applications submitted by HBCU students on Handshake went to federal roles, compared to 3.2% the prior year. The same upward trend holds for students at MSIs and HSIs—3.3% of applications from MSI students went to federal roles over the past year, compared to 1.9% the prior year, and the share of HSI student applications submitted to federal roles increased from 2% to 3.1%.

Howard University is one historically Black university that’s seen rising student interest in federal roles. Kemi Omisore, Director of Howard’s Center for Career & Professional Success, explains that these roles have significant practical appeal for Gen Z. "There’s a pull toward government jobs that offer stability and essential benefits,” she explains. “Students who have witnessed layoffs in other industries want to connect with employers that can provide job security, and we’re excited that those opportunities are available to them within federal government roles.”

Federal employers are hiring nationwide

Early-career professionals don’t need to move to the nation’s capital—or even to the northeast—to pursue a career with the federal government. Although Washington, D.C. has the highest concentration of federal jobs, federal employers have opportunities for students and new grads in most major cities across the country, and many federal roles are posted in cities like Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco.

The University of Texas at San Antonio encourages students to consider federal roles both locally and across the country. “UTSA's classroom-to-career training equips our students for success in government work,” says Mario Vela, Assistant Vice Provost of Career Engaged Learning. “Ensuring they are well prepared for federal jobs not only invests in their future but also in our nation's future, as they will play a pivotal role in shaping the policies and services that impact us all.”

Federal roles are a great fit for Gen Z

The federal government hasn’t historically been top of mind for young professionals applying to their first job, but that’s changing. Federal jobs can offer many things today’s students and new grads care deeply about, including job stability, pay transparency, and the opportunity to play a role in addressing critical social and environmental issues. In return, early-career hires are bringing in-demand skills and new ideas and perspectives to government agencies. As more young professionals step into these roles over the next few years, the positive impact on everyone—government leaders, early-career talent, and people across the U.S. who rely on government services—will only continue to grow.


Methodology

Employer classification

Federal employers on Handshake were identified using ZoomInfo classifications in combination with publicly-available lists of federal agencies, departments, and committees. The findings in this report are based on data from a total of 508 federal employers registered on Handshake.

Time period

Unless otherwise noted, all data in this report is based on employer and job seeker activity on the Handshake platform between August 1, 2022 and August 1, 2023. Where year-over-year comparisons are indicated, the comparison is to the same period the prior year (August 1, 2021 to August 1, 2022).


Industry spotlight: How—and why—the federal government is winning Gen Z hires

Key findings

Construction companies are turning to early talent to meet record-high labor demand. Construction employers increased outreach to students on Handshake by 46% over the past year, and significantly increased internship postings for certain functions.

Early talent is drawn to stable, high-paying jobs in construction. Applications to architecture, drafting, and construction management roles have risen by more than 40% on Handshake in the past year.

With big tech faltering, tech majors are increasingly excited about construction roles. Applications to construction industry roles from computer science and data science majors more than doubled over the past year.

Gen Z is poised to bring much-needed diversity to the construction industry. Women make up only 10.9% of the current construction workforce, but account for 36% of applicants to construction jobs on Handshake.

Early-career talent is poised to play a critical role in addressing the construction worker shortage

Labor demand in the construction industry is at a historic high. According to an analysis by the trade association Associated Builders and Contractors, the industry will need to attract an estimated 546,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2023 alone. Additionally, nearly 1 in 4 construction workers is over age 55, which means retirements are rapidly whittling away at the workforce.

The funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is further increasing the need for skilled workers to fill construction roles. McKinsey estimates that in 2028, the industry will be facing a shortfall attributable to the BIL of more than 160,000 workers in the contractor and subcontractor sector, 145,000 workers in the materials sector, and 40,000 workers in the engineering and technical services sector.

On Handshake, construction job creation has been highest over the past year in states that are receiving the most BIL funding—including California, Florida, and New York. And job openings in several of the states receiving the most per-capita funding, including Alaska, Wyoming, and Vermont, have increased significantly on our platform in the past year.

The record talent demand in construction presents an opportunity for early-career hires to step in, and for employers to start developing their next generation of leaders. Our data shows that construction companies are recognizing the importance of early talent—employers in this industry have significantly increased outreach to potential candidates on Handshake over the past year, messaging 46% more students compared to an increase of just 19% across all industries. Construction employers have also increased intern hiring in certain functions; for example, engineering internship openings at construction companies have increased by 12% year over year.

With the industry outpacing job and wage growth expectations even in an uncertain economy, early talent is demonstrating growing interest in construction careers. Total applications to roles such as architecture, drafting, and construction management have risen by more than 40% on Handshake in the past year, compared to an average increase of 26% across all roles on our platform. Internship applications are following similar trends; for example, applications to architecture internships have increased by more than 60%.

Many colleges and universities are actively encouraging students’ interest in construction careers. Dr. Jose Faria, Endowed Chair of the Moss Department of Construction Management at Florida International University (FIU), shared that “Given the growing demand for construction management positions, we promote students' job applications during their studies by organizing a Career Expo specifically for Construction Management students twice a year.” Dr. Faria added that “The Construction Management program at FIU offers a flexible schedule, enabling students to pursue daytime work and attend evening classes.”

Early-career tech talent could transform how the construction industry operates

Technology solutions such as integrated project management software, 3D printing, and augmented reality could dramatically improve efficiency and safety in the construction industry. But companies in this space have typically been slow to adopt new tech. A KPMG report found that only 16 percent of construction executives say their organizations have fully integrated available construction technology systems and tools, and just 6 percent have automated all or most of their business processes.

To close these gaps, the industry will need an influx of tech-savvy employees. More than a third of construction companies say a lack of skilled labor is preventing them from adopting new technology. Fortunately, construction is one of several industries that’s become more appealing to early-career tech talent over the past year in the wake of layoffs and hiring freezes at major tech firms. Applications from tech majors to construction industry roles on Handshake increased by 70% over the past year, compared to an average increase of 60% across all industries, and applications from computer science and data science majors were up by more than 100%.

Not surprisingly, growing interest from tech majors is also reflected in an uptick in applications to tech roles in the construction industry. Total applications to tech roles at construction companies increased by 84% over the past year, compared to an increase of 44% across all industries.

The following are some of the most popular construction companies with tech majors on Handshake, based on a combination of applications, job views, and employer profile views:

Diversity is a longstanding challenge in construction—Gen Z could change that

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2022 only 10.9% of construction employees were women, just 6.7% were Black, and a mere 2.1% were Asian. And although Hispanic employees make up more than 30% of construction workers, they’re often in lower-level positions with limited opportunity for advancement.

Diversifying the construction workforce is an increasingly urgent priority for the industry. With women and people of color making up an increasing share of the US workforce overall, recruiting diverse talent will be essential to addressing the construction labor shortage. Research shows that diverse teams realize higher profits, and that safety outcomes may improve when construction teams are both diverse and inclusive. Construction companies that bid for federal government contracts are also required to demonstrate that they’re creating opportunities for women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Building a more diverse and inclusive construction industry will take effort and commitment from all stakeholders, and there’s no quick-fix solution. But there are signs Gen Z is already pushing the industry in the right direction. On Handshake, women accounted for 36% of applications to jobs in the construction industry over the past year, and students of color accounted for more than 60%. These general trends also hold for specific, in-demand construction roles such as civil engineering, architecture, and construction management—in all three of these functions, women and students of color are significantly better-represented among Handshake applicants than in the industry as it currently stands overall.

Matt Rosentreter, Talent Generation Manager at employee-owned construction leader Burns & McDonnell, says Gen Z talent is especially important to diversity progress. “GenZ is one of the most diverse generations to ever enter the workforce,” he explains. “Their unique perspectives and diverse skill sets will be critical to addressing the upcoming challenges facing the construction industry.”

Laura Cosgriff, Construction Program Coordinator for the Division of Engineering, Business, and Information Technologies at Lorain County Community College, has seen growing interest in construction among students with a wide range of backgrounds and identities. In particular, she says “more female students are enrolling in the construction program and taking advantage of work-based learning opportunities available at our institution.” The program offers a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, which Cosgriff says are increasingly seen as valuable by both students and industry partners.

The construction industry is building toward an even brighter future

Major infrastructure investments will create huge opportunities for construction companies over the next few years. To seize the moment, those companies will need to hire more skilled workers, speed up technology adoption, and attract a wider range of diverse talent. Top employers are already turning to Gen Z to help them meet those goals, and Gen Z is answering the call. It’s clear that early-career professionals are poised to make a profound impact on the construction industry, and we can’t wait to watch their work unfold.

Methodology

Industry classifications are based on employer self-identification on the Handshake platform. All companies that self-identified their industry as either Construction, Construction & Engineering, Civil Engineering, or Architecture & Planning were included in the overall construction industry analysis.

Application trends are based on applications to full-time jobs and internships by students and alumni on the Handshake platform between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2023.

Employer popularity is based on a weighted average of applications per job, job views, and employer profile views between June 1, 2022 and June 1, 2023.

Industry spotlight: Record talent demand in construction is creating opportunities for Gen Z

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Gen Z

How Gen Z defines “flexibility” (hint: it includes in-person work)

Gen Z gives accounting careers a closer look

Industry spotlight: How—and why—the federal government is winning Gen Z hires

Industry spotlight: Record talent demand in construction is creating opportunities for Gen Z

How to create content for the Handshake feed (with calendar template)

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