Gen Z, Graduates, and Getting Ready for the Real World
From Alastair Greener Generationally Speaking by Alastair Greener
March 3, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 31
About this episode
Alastair speaks with Charlotte Marshall about the challenges Gen Z faces transitioning from education to the workplace.
Alastair speaks with higher education professional Charlotte Marshall about what student life and employability really look like right now. From supporting “hard to reach” students to preparing Gen Z for a workplace that doesn’t come with pastoral support, Charlotte offers a grounded view of the transition from education to employment. The conversation progresses to collaboration, communication across generations, the emotional weight of rejection in early careers, and Charlotte’s one piece of advice that cuts across age groups. That is to not take it personally. Highlights The idea of being a “peak millennial” who is fluent in change What universities can and can’t realistically do to prepare students for work Why the workplace feels harsher than education (and why that’s not always bad) AI is a useful tool, but not the answer to everything The emotional cost of modern job hunting Charlotte Marshall Takeaways: Collaboration is a skill you practise, not a personality trait Rejection is structural, not personal and resilience comes from repetition Miscommunication is usually clumsy, not malicious Support structures help, but self-management still matters Curiosity and respect are…
People in this episode
Host: Alastair Greener
Guest: Charlotte Marshall
Topics covered
- Gen Z
- employability
- education
- workplace
- collaboration
- rejection
- self-management
Keywords
- Gen Z
- employability
- student life
- job hunting
- collaboration
- rejection
- workplace support
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Bath Spa University
More episodes of Alastair Greener Generationally Speaking
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- School Superhead on Why Today’s Students Question More · May 26, 2026 · 33 min
- Millennials, Sport, and the Sandwich Generation · May 12, 2026 · 33 min
- Gen Z, Digital Wellbeing and Entering the Workplace · April 28, 2026 · 35 min
- Gen X Raising Gen Z: Anxiety, Schools and Smartphones · April 14, 2026 · 39 min
- The Practical Side of Self-Aware Leadership and its impact across generations · March 31, 2026 · 31 min
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