FROM HIGHER EDUCATION TO HIRE EDUCATION - THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF EDUCATING GEN-Z

Student recruitment is a major issue for most universities and colleges. In conjunction with the percentage of graduate completion and entrance into the workforce rates these issues are playing a key role in the development and teaching of undergraduate degree programs. More and more prospective students are making decisions on where to study based on graduation rates and employability. The cohorts now entering our institutes belong to what has been termed Generation-Z (Gen-Z) and with them comes the additional challenges of engaging students who are highly global, visual, technology and socially orientated. It is important to try to identify the key challenges that we are currently facing as well as the ones in the future with the advent of the Gen-Z student entering the gates of higher education. In addition, we will try to distinguish the soft skills needed for them to enter Industry 4.0 successfully. These encounters also offer various opportunities that can be exploited for the benefit of the various different stakeholders (students, parents, institutions, government and industry).