MILLENNIALS AND GEN-ZS WILL SAVE THE WORLD In homage to this year’s 30 Under 30 Data Economy listing, Natalie Bannerman speaks to Bill Kleyman, EVP of Digital Solutions at Switch, and co-chair of the Millennials/Gen-Z Member Resource Group (MRG) at Infrastructure Masons, about the talent deficit facing the wider technology and infrastructure industry, and how Millennials and GenZs are the solution to that problem.
Starting with the work of the Millennials/ Gen-Z MRG, Kleyman says that being part of the group has taught him what true diversity and inclusion (D&I) means. “Diversity is being asked to the dance and inclusion means being asked to dance, so you are actually on the floor and being part of it,” he says. As for the resource group itself, which Kleyman co-chairs with Kacey Armstrong of Vertiv, he says it’s all about creating awareness around infrastructure space and a platform for young people in this sector to speak. “What that means is to try and give a voice to the vision and inspire all of the young people in this world to help them see the kind of things that we can do with technology. And it really doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from you yourself can be a technologist.”
Giving young people a voice to tell the industry and everybody else what they need to be successful, coupled with school outreach at all age levels, is what will drive more to sector and help to solve the growing skills gap. “We do have a challenge where it is a male-dominated, predominately white and in some cases it is ageist you know and I wrote an article recently saying that Millennials and Gen-Zs are sure to save the world and I do firmly believe that,” he adds. One crucial component to the D&I conversation is recruitment and retainment, both of which feed into the larger discussion around culture. As Kleyman pointed out, Milennials and certainly Gen-Zs are less likely to go on to University than previous generations, so the way in which we recruit for them must also change. During a fireside chat with iMasons chairman and founder Dean Nelson, Kleyman remarked that aptitude and attitude should be favoured over experience to attract much needed young talent, a fact that many organisations have yet to catch onto as they continue to look at experience first, followed by attitude and then aptitude, in most cases. “This needs to be turned on its head because you can’t manage this incoming generation that way,” explains Kleyman. “Realistically if you want to shape the most amazing and valuable employee you look at their attitude, so are they positive, are they excited to work for you – do they do their research, then their aptitude, their willingness and ability to learn – that is in my opinion one of the most important things you can get out of a candidate, are willing to learn and grow.” “Then you might want a little bit of experience,” he continues. “But you can shape the experience to make it what you need for your organisation, so you get a valued employee someone who knows they are learning, getting a
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