Research + News | Topic: Millennials

The Grim Reality Of Millennials Who Rely On Their Parents For Money

Despite a decade-long expansion and record-low unemployment, studies suggest that between 60% and 70% of 18- to 34-year-olds rely on their parents for financial assistance. Read the article here.

Millennials Bring Ambition And Optimism To Their Work

It’s graduation season again, and as more members of Gen Z transition out of high school and into their college years, they’ll do so with high expectations for their future careers. Read the article here.

5 Reasons Today’s College Students Are Nothing Like We Were

How can we connect with young people? The first step is understanding them. Read this blog post from Fuller Youth Institute here.

Millennial Math

The infographics throughout this article highlight generational differences in areas of marriage, college, and finances.

Read the article here.

How Millennials Could Upend Wall Street and Corporate America

BrookingsIn a paper for the Brookings Institution, researchers Morley Winograd and Michael Hais “outline the cultural force of the Millennial generation on the economy as Millennials increasingly dominate the nation’s workplaces and permeate its corporate culture.”

Here are the key Millennial values shaping the future of the American economy:

Interest in daily work being a reflection of and part of larger societal concerns.

Emphasis on corporate social responsibility, ethical causes, and stronger brand loyalty for companies offering solutions to specific social problems.

A greater reverence for the environment, even in the absence of major environmental disaster.

Higher worth placed on experiences over acquisition of material things.

Ability to build communities around shared interests rather than geographical proximity, bridging otherwise disparate group.

Read the full report here.

Download the paper (.pdf) here.

Why Aren’t Millennials Workforce Ready?

The PreparedU Project, launched in fall 2013 by Bentley University, provides resources to help prepare college graduates for today’s workforce. From the website:

“The higher education model has been called into question as many college graduates struggle to find gainful employment, and employers question whether graduates have the necessary skills needed to succeed in the workplace. The PreparedU Project will provide a rare opportunity for the business community, parents, higher education, the media and millennials to discuss the challenges that millennials face in today’s job market and identify solutions to better prepare them for success.”

Read the full report and visit the website here.

The Cost of Not Going to College?

pewPew Research on Social and Demographic Trends has released a report on the “rising cost of not going to college.” From the report:

“For those who question the value of college in this era of soaring student debt and high unemployment, the attitudes and experiences of today’s young adults—members of the so-called Millennial generation—provide a compelling answer. On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education.”

The report also featured “6 Key Findings about Going to College“:

1. A college education is worth more today.

2. College benefits go beyond earnings.

3. College grads are more satisfied with their jobs.

4. The cost of not going to college has risen.

5. College grads say college is worth it.

6. College majors matter.

Read the full report here.

Download the complete report (.pdf) here.

Read the full report on the “6 Key Findings” here.

Coming-of-Age in a Recession Can Shake Faith

34251An article for Christianity Today’s “Her-meneutics” suggests that “Millennials’ unstable careers and changing identities make it harder to see God’s direction.” Journalist Alicia Cohn writes:

“Four years out of college, I was laid off for the first time this year. I wasn’t particularly surprised or distraught, since it’s become such a common experience (particularly in my field of work), but it did feel like my hard work had proved fruitless. I decided to switch gears in my career, and in many ways, it feels like I’m starting over. I worry that from the outside, the change makes me look unfocused and flighty…

The instability of today’s economy contributes to that sense of constant distraction older generations accuse us of, our indiscriminate texting and the delayed commitments. We are a generation establishing ourselves on shifting sand. We undergo a continual identity crisis as we switch jobs and careers, move cross-country for a shot at a “better economy,” face exhaustion from keeping an eye on job boards even with a full-time job, and deal with the constant pressure to learn new skills on our own time just to stay ahead of the downturn.”

Read the full article here.

How Technology is Changing Millennial Faith

millennialstechnologyBarna Group research explores the unique spiritual and technological trends among Millennials.

From the report:

“This digital world is the playground of Millennials, or those ages 18 to 29 in this current Barna study. Millennials certainly stand apart in their unsurpassed digital savvy. They’re also in a class of their own when it comes to faith experience and practice. Yet what happens when the unique spiritual characteristics and technological trends among Millennials collide?”

Read the full report here.

5 Reasons Millennials Stay Connected to Church

BarnaStudyBarna Group research, after a decade of interviews (27,140) and conducting over 200 studies, reveals reasons for why Millennials (generation born between 1894-2002) stay connected to churches.

From the report: “Barna Group’s research has previously highlighted what’s not working to keep Millennials at church, the research also illuminates what is working—and what churches can do to engage these young adults.” According to the research, churches that have had success keeping in attendance have 5 characteristics:

1. Make room for meaningful relationships.

2. Teach cultural discernment.

3. Make reverse mentoring a priority.

4. Embrace the potency of vocational discipleship.

5. Facilitate connection with Jesus.

Read the full report here.