The TopClass Blog

You probably know someone like my cousin. He graduated from college several years back, worked in marketing at a radio station and nonprofit, but decided not to pursue that path. After living in Austin for two years, he’s back on the east coast living with his parents and working in another dead-end job. He doesn’t know which way to turn and how to find a career path that will suit him. 

Many recent high school and college grads, plus 20-somethings like my cousin, have neither the desire nor money for degree programs. Since they don’t know what kinds of jobs are available, they take the easy nowhere jobs that come their way.

What they really need is an association to attract their attention, show them the career paths in an industry, and offer education programs that can prepare them for a job with a promising future. 

Are things really that much tougher now for Gen Z?

We hear a lot of angst from Gen Z about the economy. Social media is full of complaints about having a tougher lot than previous generations. But the data says otherwise.

Brendan Duke, senior director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress, told CNN, “This is the best economy we’ve seen for younger workers that anybody can remember.” 

In the average American workplace, the number of Gen Zers working full time is about to surpass the number of full-time baby-boomers. The Economist agrees: “In financial terms, Gen Z is doing extraordinarily well.”

Of course, many of them, like my cousin, may be in dead-end jobs. 

Inflation, higher interest rates, and higher housing costs are making life difficult for everyone. Because of social media, Gen Z’s complaints are broadcast more widely than the woes of previous generations.

Attract Gen Z to your industry with workforce development programs

Your association can help this generation find their feet with introductory education programs that teach them (as well as anyone else seeking a new career) about your industry. Program participants learn what they need to know to get a job and get on the path to a more rewarding career. 

Capture the attention of Gen Z with a workforce development website

Before convincing Gen Z to sign up for your education programs, they need to find out what your industry is all about and what type of future it can offer them. A workforce development or career exploration page on your association’s website can answer the questions of Gen Z and others who want to learn more about jobs and careers in your industry. To get Gen Z to your website, you have to own the top SEO rankings for the search phrases they use to explore careers. 

A member of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) explained how she stumbled upon their introductory program. “I learned about the A to Z program shortly after Googling ‘careers related to linguistics’… I read more about it and was puzzled as to why I had never heard of such an interesting field.”

If your industry needs to recruit talent, you have to do a better job of attracting prospective hires with SEO, social media, digital advertising, and earned media. Create a presence where young people hang out—TikTok, Instagram, Reddit, and YouTube—and lure them to your website with clever videos and industry career stats. 

As soon as they land on your home page, they should only have to click once to learn more about careers. Most association home pages don’t make it easy to find this information. They either don’t have a dedicated page, they bury this information on their job board page, or they don’t have a career navigation tab on the home page. 

On your workforce development landing page, include information (or links) about:

• Career paths in your industry
• Education or credentialing requirements
• Job and salary outlook
• Self-assessment (like this one)
• Glossary of industry jargon (like NAIOP’s)
• Testimonials from members about five years into their careers
• Articles and podcast episodes of interest 
• Introductory education and microcredentialing programs 

The most powerful marketing tool is video testimonials of young professionals who are just a few years into their careers. Ask them to share:

• How they started
• Why they chose this career
• Why they’re glad they made that choice
• What they’re doing now
• What advice they have for people just starting out

Supplement these videos with deeper profiles that link to relevant education programs.

Address FOBO— the fear of becoming obsolete. Deliver a counter-narrative that highlights the potential for advancement and earnings in your industry. 

Don’t assume people will automatically understand the value of the work professionals do in your industry. Tell Gen Z how they can make a difference by becoming part of your industry. 

Gen Zers report higher rates of anxiety and depression than other age groups. Dedicate a page to resources that help young adults cope with the challenges they encounter at this stage in their lives. Although they may not yet be able to afford membership, explain what kind of support and community your association offers to members and non-members, such as mentoring and peer support groups.

Examples of association workforce development websites

In a previous post about career websites, we featured SEMI, the association serving the semiconductor industry, and their career exploration platform. 

These sites are worth checking out too:

• American Chemical Society
• Metal Treating Institute
• School Nutrition Professionals
• Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society

Your association doesn’t have to go it alone. Careers Building Communities is a website supported by 31 real estate-related organizations. The site encourages people to explore career paths across all sectors of real estate. 

The site’s career spotlights feature stories about young professionals. One of their many resource articles is about four ways an association can help you find a job. 

Introductory education and credentialing programs

Introductory programs teach the technical and soft skills needed to get up to speed in an industry. Early-career microcredentialing programs award digital badges—visual proof of a learner’s mastery of the skills needed to enter and move up in an industry.

Offer a variety of program formats: live and on-demand, mini-courses and more intensive crash courses or bootcamps. For live programs, consider offering cohorts facilitated by older advisors or mentors.

Association examples of introductory education programs

Free courses give people a fair chance to discover if a career in your industry is right for them. Invite sponsors to subsidize programs or classes of attendees. 

NCRA offers a free, live or on-demand A to Z Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand, a six-week online course that teaches the basics of steno writing.

Twice a year, NIRI: The Association for Investor Relations delivers their live online course, Fundamentals of Investor Relations.

Truck Equipment 101 is an introductory course from NTEA – The Work Truck Association. Its 15 video modules offer an industry overview, insight into truck systems, and basic regulatory requirements.

American Public Works Association’s Introduction to Basic Stormwater Concepts is a must for those new to the field or looking to gain a specialized certification.

Outside the association world, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation aims to close the skills gap in the trades with their national PR campaign for skilled labor. Its Work Ethic Scholarship Program is giving away one million dollars in scholarships this year. Talk to employers and industry partners in your market about supporting scholarships for your association’s education and credentialing programs.

Where to start? The Corporate Housing Providers Association appointed a task force to create, assess, and update introductory courses for company employee training. They’ll soon launch a four-part online course about the basics of corporate housing.

A workforce development website and introductory education programs prove you’re not an association for old people. You’re an association for the future. Invite young people to explore and learn about your industry, become part of your industry, and improve your industry.