Gen Z students ‘raised on the internet’ who are so socially awkward they can’t speak on the phone are being taught empathy and time management in UK-first trial

Thousands of Gen Z students are set to be taught ‘soft skills’ ranging from empathy to time management in a bid to help young people overcome fears of being interviewed for jobs. 

The UK-first trial, which will be conducted on students in Greater Manchester, will teach young children ‘everyday but essential’ tools after employers raised concerns that ‘digital natives’ were struggling with speaking on the phone or going for jobs.

Leading child psychiatrist Professor Sandeep Ranote said Gen Z, those born between the mid 1990s and early 2010s, lack key social skills because they have grown up in a very different world.

‘Young people are going into a world with huge challenges that certainly I didn’t have,’ she told The Guardian. 

‘I call it the five Cs: they lived through Covid, climate change, cost-of-living, cyberspace and conflict.’ 

The trial, Skills 4 Living, was launched in the UK for the first time by Higher Health, which began the project in South Africa six years ago. 

Students will be taught the skills primarily online, but will also be expected to complete assessments by interacting in person with others.

They will attend seminars on spotting fake news, internet safety, how to challenge discrimination, gambling awareness and avoiding scams.

The UK-first trial, which will be conducted on students in Greater Manchester, will teach young children ‘everyday but essential’ tools. (File image) 

Leading child psychiatrist Professor Sandeep Ranote (pictured) said Gen Z lack key social skills

It comes after employers raised concerns that ‘digital natives’ were struggling with speaking on the phone or going for jobs. (File image)  

The scheme aims to reach 10,000 young people and will be taught by the likes of the University of Manchester, University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University.  

It could also be expanded to other 16 to 25 year olds including young offenders, members of the military and refugees.

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, said: ‘Preparing young people to lead confident, healthy and productive lives is key to their employability and long-term wellbeing. I’m proud that Greater Manchester’s young people will be the first in the UK to access this opportunity’. 

Last month, one of Britain’s biggest finance firms announced it would be training Gen Z staff to speak over the phone because young workers are too scared to talk on their devices.

The new training has been set up by Forvis Mazars in response to concerns that ‘the digital generation’ lack the soft skills to work in the City.

The training will include teaching people how to have ‘challenging’ conversations over the phone and cover topics such as ‘relationship building’.

And staff will undergo an ‘immersive’ experience, practising picking up the phone and entering client meetings.

The firm is launching the ‘comprehensive learning and development programme’ this year.

The scheme aims to reach 10,000 young people and will be taught by the likes of the University of Manchester (pictured), University of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan University

The move follows on from concerns that Gen Z entering the workplace would rather communicate via text or email because they lack the experience of speaking to people directly over the phone.

Victoria Bari, the head of training at Berry Recruitment Group, said young people entering the workforce are terrified of speaking over the phone.

Ms Bari said: ‘There is certainly a generational divide and for younger, more inexperienced consultants, emails and messaging are the first route of communication.

‘But talking to people remains the most effective method of building relationships, which is a fundamental building-block of sales.’

Forvis Mazars said the programme is being launched because junior staff will be expected to have greater interpersonal skills.

The firm has anticipated that eventually basic tasks completed by Gen Z staff will be done by computers instead.

James Gilbey, chief executive of Forvis Mazars, told the Telegraph: ‘We’ve committed to a major firm-wide investment to put relationship skills front and centre.’

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