Voices of Tomorrow: overcoming roadblocks to youth action today

Samsung Electronics Australia in partnership with Student Edge has released insights from its Gen Z survey, “Voices of Tomorrow: overcoming roadblocks to youth action today”[1] to coincide with its Solve for Tomorrow for young Australian innovators.

The survey was commissioned to uncover the dynamic and inventive ways Australians aged 14 to 24 years are taking action on the issues that matter most to them; while also revealing the common roadblocks standing in their way when it comes to turning ideas into actions to create positive societal change.

The findings uncover a surprising truth: young Australians, often seen as a vocal generation, feel significantly disempowered in their ability to create meaningful change. The majority (83%) agreed that STEM skills are essential in helping enact positive change, yet three-quarters (75%) felt largely unequipped to take advantage of these skills.

Young Australians are disconnected on how they can have a positive impact on issues that matter to them. Despite wanting to stand up for what they believe in, nearly half (44%) of Gen Z do not feel like it would make a difference, and 39% don’t know how best to take a stand on the social issues they care about. Highlighting a possible way forward for the unsure generation, more than half (53%) of Gen Z think using STEM to create technology or solutions that address the issues they care about is the most effective way to bring about change.

Nearly four million Gen Z Australians[2] could be the next generation of STEM innovators with 83% of those surveyed agreeing that understanding and using technology is key to making positive changes in the world. Despite over half strongly agreeing that STEM enables the opportunities to turn innovative ideas into reality, only one in four (25%) are confident they have the STEM skills to do so. Almost half (49%) say the biggest hurdle is the lack of resources, support network, and monetary support to enable them to do so. These findings indicate that more focus is needed on upskilling young Australians in STEM-related skills to bridge the gap between intentions to create positive change and equipping them with the right skills and resources to do so.

Young Australians are not just seeing STEM as a way to bring about change. They also see it as a viable career path, with over four in five (83%) agreeing that STEM skills are essential not only to enact positive change, but also for future careers. Additionally, three-quarters (75%) agreed that STEM presents exciting opportunities and career pathways for them in the future.

With the number of STEM jobs growing twice as fast[3] as non-STEM related roles, there has never been a more pertinent time for equipping young Australians to upskill in STEM.

Brett Turnbull, Director of Corporate Marketing at Samsung Electronics Australia said, “Solve for Tomorrow is a great starting point for any young innovator wanting to get involved in STEM and understand how it can empower their community and future career opportunities at the same time.”

“As a global technology leader, Samsung understands the vital importance of STEM education in shaping the innovators of tomorrow. We are dedicated to empowering Australia’s next generation of problem solvers by nurturing their skills and offering opportunities for students to engage with both inside and beyond the classroom. Through initiatives like Solve for Tomorrow, we aim to inspire young minds and equip them with the tools they need to make a real difference in the world.”

For more information on Solve for Tomorrow, visit: https://www.samsung.com/au/solve-for-tomorrow.

[1] Samsung and Student Edge (2024) “Voices of Tomorrow: overcoming roadblocks to youth action today”
[2] Statista Research Department (2024) “Distribution of Australian population in Australia as of 2021, by generation”
[3] National Skills Commission (2022) “Projecting employment to 2026”

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