Author Ameera Ismail: Moore Cape Town

Gen Z graduates bring digital fluency, fresh perspectives and what many call a values-driven outlook. This means they care less about climbing the corporate ladder for its own sake and more about finding purpose, authenticity and balance in their careers. They want to work for organisations that align with their values, provide meaningful opportunities and support holistic growth.
 
They are eager to contribute meaningfully and flourish in environments where they feel valued and supported. Deloitte’s 2025 global survey of Gen Z and millennial respondents identified that learning and development, financial security, well-being, work–life balance and meaningful work are key drivers to this generation’s engagement with employers (Deloitte, 2025). For organisations, this means that offering structured development and a supportive culture is no longer optional, it’s essential to attracting and retaining top graduate talent.
 
Transitioning from university to the workplace can be daunting. Without support, new graduates may face role ambiguity, anxiety or a lack of confidence that impacts productivity. According to RecruitAGraduate (2024), structured support during the first 90 days of employment helps graduates quickly adjust, sharpen their skills and contribute effectively from day one.
 
Support isn’t just beneficial for graduates, it’s good for business. When young professionals feel invested in, they are more engaged, motivated, loyal and willing to share their own skills with the organisation. Their adaptability and openness to learning new business aligned skills often make them more cost-effective hires than experienced professionals who may resist change (Ghoshal, 2022).
 
Mentorship is particularly powerful in terms of support and developing or enhancing skills of graduates. Cook and Peterka (2025) highlight that having mentorship programs increases productivity, engagement and job satisfaction, all of which are priorities for Gen Z employees. Beyond mentorship, structured graduate programmes help young professionals develop technical skills, understand workplace culture, and build confidence in their roles.
 
When organisations commit to this kind of learning and development, they don’t just train employees, they nurture future leaders who are aligned with the company’s goals and values.
 
Graduates are uniquely positioned to challenge the status quo, bring fresh ideas and a critical eye to current business processes. Gen Z are proficient at identifying smarter, faster ways of working, often using digital tools and emerging trends which improves workflows and efficiency (Ghoshal, 2022). Their ability to innovate and question outdated processes makes them valuable contributors in today’s fast evolving business world and remaining ahead of competitors. Encouraging graduates to share ideas and experiment with new approaches can unlock innovation that benefits the entire organisation.
 
Supporting graduates is not simply an act of goodwill, it is a true return on investment. When graduates feel valued, they perform better, stay loyal and develop into high-performing professionals. This supports strong succession planning by fostering a continuous flow of future leaders. Even when graduates eventually move on, the capabilities nurtured within them continue to benefit the wider economy (Ghoshal, 2022). Moreover, supported graduates often become powerful brand ambassadors. Gen Z is highly active on social media and tends to share positive workplace experiences online enhancing an organisations reputation, attracting future talent and boosting their market returns.

South Africa’s high unemployment rate underscores the broader importance of graduate recruitment. In the second quarter of 2025, the country’s official unemployment rate was 33.2% (Stats SA, Q2 2025).
 
Against this backdrop, companies play a vital economic and social role by recruiting and upskilling graduates. Not only do these actions fill critical workforce gaps, but they also empower graduates to launch their own ventures, creating even more job opportunities. In this way, supporting graduates does more than strengthen organisations, it contributes to building a resilient and inclusive economy.
 
Conclusion
 
Graduates may be at the beginning of their careers, but they are the leaders, innovators, and changemakers of tomorrow. By investing in their development through mentorship, structured support and inclusive cultures, organisations can meet Gen Z’s expectations while securing their own future talent pipelines and brining new innovative solutions in their organisations.
 
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