Organizations need to rethink their attraction approaches as candidates make career choices earlier than ever before. 

By Jason Desentz

When organizations think about building future talent pipelines, they often focus on internships, university recruiting, and early career development programs. Those investments remain important, but by the time students reach college, many have already formed perceptions about industries, careers, and employers. The question for business leaders is whether they are engaging future talent early enough.

Today’s workforce is experiencing a significant generational shift. In fact, Gen Z is expected to make up about 30% of the U.S. workforce by 2030. As experienced employees retire and new generations enter the workforce, organizations must think differently about how they attract, prepare, and develop talent. Workforce planning can no longer begin when a student applies for an internship. It should start much earlier.

Many of the skills organizations need in the future are developed long before students make career decisions. Curiosity, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and adaptability are increasingly critical in a business environment defined by technological advancement and constant change. These capabilities often begin taking shape during a student’s earliest educational experiences.

Understanding What Motivates the Next Generation 

The next generation of talent is looking for more than employment. They want purpose, development, and a clear connection between their work and meaningful outcomes. They are asking how technology can solve problems, improve lives, and create impact.

That mindset presents an opportunity for employers.

Programs that expose students to STEM concepts and real-world problem-solving help connect education to future careers. Competitions, such as ExploraVision, demonstrate that students are capable of thinking creatively about complex challenges at a very young age. More importantly, these programs help students understand how classroom learning can translate into practical applications.

By 2030, Gen Z employees will make up 30% of the U.S. workforce.

For organizations, these experiences provide valuable insight into how future generations think about innovation, technology, and problem-solving. Understanding those perspectives today can help business leaders prepare for tomorrow’s workforce realities.

Building Awareness Before Recruitment Begins 

Too often, organizations think about employer branding only in the context of recruiting. In reality, perceptions of industries and employers begin forming long before an entry-level candidate submits a resume.

Early engagement helps candidates understand opportunities that may not have previously been visible to them. It also helps organizations build awareness and credibility with future talent pools. When students have opportunities to connect STEM learning to real-world careers, they gain a better understanding of where their interests and skills may lead.

For employers, that creates a stronger, long-term talent pipeline and reinforces the connection between education, innovation, and workforce development.

Developing Skills Before Career Decisions 

The objective is not to push students toward career choices at an early age. It is to create opportunities for exploration.

Students benefit when they can discover what interests them, build confidence in their abilities, and develop skills that will serve them regardless of their eventual career path. Communication, collaboration, adaptability, critical thinking, and curiosity remain valuable across every industry and profession.

These same capabilities also help individuals succeed in increasingly multigenerational workplaces, where employees must work effectively across different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Workforce Planning Requires Earlier Engagement 

Organizations that wait until college recruiting season to engage future talent are already late in the process.

Forward-thinking employers should view STEM education, community partnerships, internships, and early career programs as components of a broader workforce strategy. Together, they form a talent ecosystem that helps prepare students for future opportunities while helping organizations better understand future workforce needs.

Earlier engagement benefits everyone involved. Students gain greater visibility into potential career paths. Employers gain insight into emerging talent, changing workforce expectations, and future skill requirements. Current employees also benefit as stronger pipelines create opportunities for mentorship, knowledge transfer, and succession planning.

The workforce challenges organizations face over the next decade will not be solved through recruitment alone. They will be addressed through earlier engagement, stronger education to industry connections, and a long-term commitment to developing future talent.

Internships and onboarding programs remain essential, but they are most effective when built upon years of exposure, learning, and awareness. The organizations that succeed in attracting future talent will be those that begin investing in that future long before a candidate ever submits an application.

 

Jason Desentz is CHRO of Toshiba Americas.