Education

Post-Millennials Will Be The Best-Educated And Diverse Generation, Yet Less Likely To Hold Full-Time Jobs

Left, SHUTTERSTOCK/ New Africa/ Right, SHUTTERSTOCK/ Josef Hanus

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Neetu Arnold Contributor
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“Post-millennials” are on track to be the best-educated and most diverse generation, but less likely to hold full-time jobs, a study released Thursday found.

The Pew Research Center study, conducted by researchers Richard Fry and Kim Parker, found older post-millennials between 18 and 20 years old in 2017 were more likely to stay in school and pursue college. Nearly 60 percent were pursuing college in 2017 while 53 percent of millennials in 2002 and 44 percent of Gen X in 1986 were enrolled in college.

Post-millennials are defined as those born between 1997 and 2012. Millennials were born between 1981 to 1996, Gen X between 1965 and 1980 and baby boomers between 1946 and 1964, according to Pew.

College enrollment, however, could be affecting full-time work participation among the post-millennial demographic, according to the analysis.

“In 2018, only 15% of 15- to 17-year-old workers worked full-time, down sharply from the 26% of 15- to 17-year-old workers in 1968 who worked full-time,” the study reported. “The pattern is similar among 18- to 21-year-olds.” (RELATED: POLL: Majority of Americans Want A Four-Day Work Week)

Fifty-eight percent of post-millennials between ages 18 and 21 were in the workforce while 72 percent of millennials of the same age in 2002 were employed. The number jumped to 80 percent for the same age group in 1968.

“The changing patterns in educational attainment are driven in part by the shifting origins of young Hispanics,” the study said. “Post-Millennial Hispanics are less likely than Millennial Hispanics to be immigrants – 12% of post-Millennial Hispanics were born outside the U.S., compared with 24% of Millennial Hispanics in 2002.”

Post-millennials between ages 6 and 21 are the most ethnically and racially diverse from previous generations. Nearly 50 percent are of a non-white race, according to the research. The report noted that post-millennials are more likely to be of Asian or Hispanic descent than previous generations, but were not necessarily more likely to be immigrants.

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