What do TikTok, AI, and a 1970s job for life have in common?
Answer: They’re all part of a bigger story about how careers have evolved and continue to evolve – from generation to generation.
At Bright Futures Experience, we’ve delivered employability workshops in schools across the UK for years. One thing is clear: the future of work looks nothing like the past, and your students are preparing for careers that may not even exist yet.
So, how can schools help students prepare?
Let’s briefly tour the generations and then consider what that means for today’s learners.
Baby boomers: The career ladder
Born – 1946 – 1964
Boomers were taught that climbing the ladder was the goal. Stability was the dream. Many spent decades with one employer. Apprenticeships and trades were common routes, but the path was clear: work hard, stay loyal, and retire with a pension.
Generation X: The realists
Born – 1965 – 1980
Gen X saw recessions and redundancy letters. They grew up more cynical and valued independence. University became more accessible, but many pursued practical careers with clear progression paths. Side-hustles weren’t a thing yet, but self-reliance was.
Millennials: The multi-taskers
Born – 1981 – 1996
Millennials were told to “follow your dreams” – and often found that those dreams came with student debt and no guarantee of employment. They entered the workforce during the 2008 crash and responded by becoming adaptable, purpose-driven, and digitally fluent.
Gen Z: The disruptors
Born – 1997 – 2012
Welcome to the era of the portfolio career. Gen Z is growing up with AI tools, influencer culture, and a distrust of traditional institutions. They want meaning, flexibility, and freedom. Many don’t want “a job”, they want a mission. They’re entrepreneurial, value mental health, and are rewriting what “career” even means.
And What about generation Alpha?
Right now, Gen Alpha might be still in primary school or the early years of secondary or possibly sixth form, but it’s not too early to start thinking about the world of work they’ll inherit.
Born from around 2013 onwards, they’re the first generation raised from birth with voice assistants, AI algorithms, and streaming everything. For them, touchscreens are as normal as pencils were for us.
So what might their career landscape look like?
Likely Features of Gen Alpha’s Career World
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AI as a Co-worker: ChatGPT-style tools may become as normal as Microsoft Word once was. They’ll need to know how to work with AI not be replaced by it.
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New industries: Climate tech, biotechnology, digital ethics, virtual environments, and space exploration could all explode with opportunity.
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The demise of the ‘traditional job’: 9-to-5s might feel as dated as floppy disks. Flexibility, freelancing, and remote-first careers will dominate.
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Faster career changes: With the pace of tech change, Alphas could cycle through five or more career shifts before they’re 40.
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Mental health literacy: We expect wellbeing to be an integral part of their working lives, not a luxury or afterthought.
The challenge for schools
Preparing Gen Alpha means helping them become:
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Creative problem-solvers
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Digitally fluent
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Emotionally intelligent
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Ethical decision-makers
It’s no longer about picking a job, it’s about developing the skills to adapt to whatever comes next.
Futures aren’t Linear… And that’s OK
From Boomers who worked in one job for 40 years, to Zoomers with side hustles and brand deals at 17, and now Alphas who might work with AI before they’re even old enough to vote, the definition of a career is shifting fast.
At Bright Futures Experience, we don’t just help students choose a path. We help them understand themselves, build resilience, and prepare for a future that’s full of change and opportunity.
So what does this mean for schools?
You’re not just preparing students for their first job, you’re preparing them for a future where they may have multiple careers, launch a start-up from their bedroom, or create a job that doesn’t even exist today.
That’s why careers education is always changing.
Here’s what we believe matters more than ever:
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Adaptability: Can your students pivot when industries shift?
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Self-awareness: Do they know their strengths and how to apply them?
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Digital confidence: Can they build a LinkedIn profile, a portfolio, or a personal brand?
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Creativity & resilience: Can they handle failure, spot opportunities, and try again?
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Soft skills that last a lifetime: Communication, teamwork, problem-solving.
How we help at Bright futures experience
Our Employability workshops are built around these principles. We don’t just talk about jobs, we help students:
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Understand what employers actually value
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Develop skills through real challenges and teamwork
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See how their education connects to real-world opportunities
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Get inspired by new possibilities, not just traditional paths
We align with the Gatsby Benchmarks and support your school’s wider CEIAG strategy – but we also inject a spark of energy and insight into every session.
Final thought: It’s not about jobs, it’s about futures
Every generation rewrites the rules of work.
Your current students?
They’re rewriting the whole manual.
And that’s exciting – as long as we give them the tools to navigate it.
