If companies don’t provide training for Gen Z, they’ll find ways to train themselves

Like many of my Gen X peers, my summers were packed with various jobs, both good and bad. I worked at a Ponderosa Steakhouse, then in a hospital kitchen. I also wrote press releases for the Ontario government, managed a newspaper for high school students, interned at the Toronto Star, and took on several other gigs along the way.

My Gen Z kids, however, have had a different experience. My youngest secured a tree-planting job this summer, only to have it canceled at the last minute. He then searched for retail and restaurant jobs with mixed results. My middle child transitioned from college to culinary school and is working as a caterer and kitchen staff between classes. My oldest, 23, interned at a law firm and an AI startup during previous summers but currently makes a living playing poker, investing in stocks, and winning golf tournaments. He wants a traditional job but doesn’t seem too concerned.

I thought of them when I read that Gen Z is struggling to find entry-level jobs. U.S. companies hired fewer interns this past summer, particularly in tech and finance. It’s no wonder younger workers seem discouraged.

When I spoke with Kevin Ali, CEO of the women-focused healthcare company Organon, yesterday, he mentioned that the company received 1 million applications for around 9,500 positions. “People who are really interested in the women’s health space have been drawn in and want to be a part of this.”

That’s true, but it also means that fewer than one out of every 100 applicants to Organon secured a job. The odds of being hired by companies like Google are even slimmer, which can be disheartening, especially for young men.

Some leaders criticize the work ethic of young people or lament a lack of talent without considering what they’re doing to support the next generation. The potential of AI to displace jobs complicates the situation further for employers, who are hesitant to expand their workforce when they might soon need to downsize.

The silver lining for Gen Z workers is that those who don’t land great entry-level jobs may become more resilient by creating opportunities for themselves. My eldest, for example, takes free AI and cybersecurity courses through Google when he’s not organizing his tournaments. Many of his friends do the same. If companies aren’t willing to train them, they’ll train themselves. Rejection can work both ways.

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Diane Brady
diane.brady@fortune.com
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