On September 6, 2025, Bindu Reddy, a prominent voice in education and workplace trends, delivered a bold assessment: college education is rapidly losing its grip on relevance. This assertion, reported by Traders Union, comes at a time when the landscape of youth employment and digital engagement is undergoing seismic shifts, especially among Generation Z. Reddy’s argument is not made in a vacuum—her observations echo across a broader conversation about how young people are navigating a world where traditional paths to success seem increasingly out of step with reality.
Reddy points to a sobering statistic: the unemployment rate among 16- to 24-year-olds has risen above 10 percent, and all signs suggest this number will climb higher. For decades, a college degree was seen as a golden ticket to stable employment and upward mobility. Now, Reddy contends, that ticket is losing its value. "The value of college education as a mass-market pursuit is diminishing," she warns, highlighting a growing disconnect between what universities offer and what the job market demands.
Her advice to young people is clear and direct: consider alternatives. "Trade schools may offer more practical skills and immediate job opportunities," Reddy suggests, according to Traders Union. This isn’t just a throwback to an earlier era when vocational training was the norm; it’s a pragmatic response to a rapidly changing economy. As Reddy sees it, the skills gap is widening, and traditional education is struggling to keep pace with the needs of employers and the realities of a globalized, tech-driven world.
This perspective, while provocative, is increasingly echoed by others analyzing the habits and preferences of Generation Z. On September 5, 2025, Julie Clark, Senior Vice President of Diversified Markets at Media & Entertainment, published new research from TransUnion that paints a vivid picture of Gen Z’s digital life. According to Clark, 45 percent of Gen Z spends more than five hours online every day. Over half have canceled at least one streaming subscription in the past three months. Social media use surged by four percent in just one quarter. If there’s a single thread running through all this, it’s that Gen Z is constantly on the move—digitally, culturally, and economically.
Clark’s analysis, as reported by Cynopsis, underscores the volatility of Gen Z’s attention. Their loyalty isn’t to platforms or brands; it’s to whatever feels relevant, useful, or entertaining in the moment. "Streaming is still a daily habit, but the relationship has changed. It is no longer about loyalty or long-term value. It is about what feels worth it at the moment," Clark writes. Streaming subscriptions have become revolving doors, with viewers canceling, rejoining, or downgrading to ad-supported tiers as their interests and budgets shift.
Major streaming services—Netflix, Disney Plus, and Prime Video—have responded in kind, rolling out ad-supported tiers that have been met with little resistance. Gen Z, it turns out, is perfectly willing to accept ads if it means more flexibility and lower costs. For marketers, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. As Clark puts it, "Ad-supported environments are not fallback placements, they are context-rich moments with real potential." The trick is to deliver value, not just visibility. The right ad, in the right setting, can feel like part of the experience rather than an unwelcome interruption.
But Gen Z’s media diet is far from monolithic. According to TransUnion’s findings, YouTube remains the platform with the broadest reach, while TikTok and Instagram shape cultural trends. Reddit and Twitch are gaining ground because they offer community, control, and context—qualities that matter deeply to this generation. Each platform serves a different purpose: Twitch for interaction, TikTok for cultural moments, YouTube for utility. "A Reddit thread replaces a how-to video. A Twitch stream can feel like a live event," Clark observes. The boundaries between formats are blurring, and Gen Z is just as likely to watch kids’ shows as adult animation, cable originals as digital-first series.
Audio content is another pillar of Gen Z’s daily life. One in three listens to podcasts weekly, and music streaming is a constant companion—soundtracking commutes, study sessions, and downtime. Live content, too, is evolving. Wrestling, eSports, and UFC events draw significant attention, and sponsorships in these arenas can move products. For many marketers and media planners, these preferences can be baffling. Content choices no longer follow neat categories or predictable schedules. Instead, context, timing, and convenience drive decisions.
So what does this mean for the future of education, work, and marketing? Reddy’s call for a reevaluation of traditional education aligns with the reality that Gen Z is already forging alternative paths. The skills and adaptability demanded by today’s job market are often learned outside the classroom—on the job, through online communities, and via hands-on experiences. Reddy connects this shift to a broader transformation in how skills and communication are valued globally. As she notes, English has become a universal bridge for connectivity, reflecting the ways in which technology and globalization have reshaped the world.
Clark’s findings reinforce this sense of constant movement and adaptation. To reach Gen Z, marketers must abandon the old playbook. "Start with behavior, not personas," she advises. Gen Z’s platform choices are intentional and context-driven. Real-time insights are essential to track where their attention is flowing and what they care about in the moment. Campaigns must be modular and adaptable, able to pivot as quickly as the audience they are trying to engage. The brands that succeed will be those that "stop chasing loyalty and start designing for movement."
In this environment, the traditional boundaries between education, entertainment, and work are fading fast. The same skills that help a young person navigate Twitch or Reddit—adaptability, community-building, and creative problem-solving—are increasingly the ones that employers prize. As Reddy and Clark both make clear, the future belongs to those who can keep up with the pace of change, whether that means pursuing a trade, mastering new platforms, or simply staying open to whatever comes next.
In a world where attention is fleeting and the rules are being rewritten, Gen Z isn’t waiting for permission to chart their own course. The institutions and industries that thrive will be those that recognize this—and are willing to move just as fast.
