What is the Role of Education?
I recently read the results of a survey by Resume Builder that shows that Gen Z workers are blaming their parents, not employers, the economy, or AI, for being underpaid, passed over, and disciplined at work. This got me thinking, whether Gen Z takes accountability for their actions, or always seek to blame others for what goes wrong in the workplace.
It’s remarkable to me that the blame could be shifted to one’s parents rather than taking personal responsibility. While the failure of parents to instill a work ethic may be true, there are so many other causes that to blame parent’s alone is misplaced. I have to ask: What do Gen Z learn during their education that could have prepared them better to succeed in the workplace?
Resume Builder Survey Results
This is a follow-up to Resume Builder’s recent surveys that documented parents joining Gen Z job interviews, handling salary negotiations on their adult children’s behalf, and regularly speaking with their bosses. The new survey of 1,000 U.S. Gen Z workers (ages 18–29) documents what those workers themselves now say about the consequences.
Key findings:
- 2 in 3 (67%) Gen Z workers say they’ve been disciplined, underpaid, or passed over because of skills they were never taught at home
- 6 in 10 (60%) admit their parents coddled them more than prepared them for the workplace
- 2 in 5 (40%) say they earned less than they should have because they were never taught to negotiate
- 4 in 5 (80%) are turning to AI and social media to learn basic workplace etiquette, including professional email writing
These findings continue to raise concerns about workplace readiness, financial preparedness, and the long-term cost of a generation arriving at work without basic professional skills.
American Psychology Association
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “families and other caregivers are critical in their children’s learning and success in school, and psychologists can help families help their children learn and thrive in the classroom. This is because psychologists know how children learn, what helps them to be motivated to do well, the role of children’s behaviors and emotions in learning, and how assessments and tests can be used to help children improve.”
The APA discusses the Top 10 principles from psychology that families can use to help their children succeed in school. Principle 3 seems to address the points I want to make in this blog.
Principle 3: Children’s learning occurs in many settings, including school, home, and community. Notice that learning occurs in multiple ways, not only due to the actions (or inactions) of parents. If I were to choose one source of learning as the culprit in the lack of learning to success in the workplace, it would be in school.
The Role of Education
The online website, Research Prospect, provides an inside view of what makes students ready for their future careers. “Many people see education as the first step toward building knowledge, confidence, and useful skills for life. From school classrooms to college campuses, education helps students learn new ideas, understand how things work, and build abilities that help them grow in their careers. Teachers, books, projects, and practical learning all work together to support students as they prepare for different professional paths. Education does more than teach academic subjects. It also helps students develop communication skills, teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. These qualities support students as they move into different industries and professional roles. When students gain the right knowledge and practical experience, they feel more confident about their future plans. In many places, schools and universities continue to introduce learning methods that connect education with career readiness. This approach helps students understand how their studies relate to real work situations. As a result, students leave educational institutions with valuable knowledge and a clear sense of direction.”
The problem is that students are not developing the kind of work ethic that is necessary for their future career success. For many years, a work ethic developed over time including through education. After all, if education doesn’t prepare students for success in their future careers, then why even go to school?
Blog posted by Steven Mintz, PhD, on April 29, 2026. Visit Steve’s website to learn more about his activities.