The hope is that Gen Z will still achieve these milestones, potentially just a little later on, and that salaries and employment rates will recover as this group progress into their 30s.
For this generation, recognising the new terrain they are facing means comparison is impossible. Plenty have adopted a new mind-set, holding society’s goals more loosely, and learning to thrive on shifting sands.
That’s something Shahida, 22, has adopted through her job hunt process. Before landing her dream gig in the Ministry of Justice, she says the search to find work “took a lot of resilience”.
“It did result in a lot of tears and a lot of self-doubt at the beginning and I think that’s completely normal and it’s part of the process.”
While Shahida says she hopes she doesn’t take her job for granted, she says she’s “happy to say that I work in a place that I really enjoy”.