Employers are firing Gen Z graduates soon after hiring them, citing a lack of necessary skills.

A Fortune report titled “Gen Z are the hardest to work with—even managers of their own generation say they’re difficult” (January 22, 2025) highlights this troubling trend. 

The oldest Gen Zers (born in 1997) are 28, and the youngest working-age Gen Zers (born in 2007) are 18. Many Gen Zers are in their early to mid-20s and may enter the workforce through internships, part-time jobs, or entry-level positions.

The education system is not the root problem. Capitalism itself must change. Businesses expect “job-ready” workers but take little responsibility for preparing them. Schools produce graduates with knowledge and credentials, yet employers prioritize immediate productivity over long-term development. This disconnect creates a transition between education and employment, leaving workers unprepared and businesses unwilling to invest in their future.

 

The Breakdown of Modern Rites of Passage

Across millennia, societies have used rites of passage to prepare their young for adulthood. These rituals mark the transition from learning to full participation in society.

The Fortune article reveals a crisis. Modern rites of passage no longer function, and the transition from education to work doesn’t work.

Why? There is a disconnect between corporations, educational institutions, and individuals. Businesses say that schools do not prepare students for today’s job market. They expect workers to be ready on day one. Students struggle to navigate a system they know little about.

 

The System Is Breaking Down

Schools once produced workers to sustain capitalism, but that system no longer works. Fewer students enter the workforce prepared according to business standards.

So the story goes: Companies demand creativity, but schools don’t emphasize it enough. Businesses seek adaptability, but schools tend to be structured and rules-based. The result is a growing mismatch in perception and in reality.

The crisis will continue. 

Capitalism wants work without workers. Automation replaces people wherever possible, but capital still needs workers to produce surplus value. Machines do not generate profit independently, so human labor remains essential for wealth creation.

 

The Meditativist Perspective on Systemic Change

The Meditativist perspective frames education as workforce preparation and a gateway to knowing, being, and acting. The balance between these elements offers a path forward.

Education should cultivate awareness, adaptability, and purpose rather than serve as a broken conveyor belt feeding an unsustainable economic model

However, education alone cannot fix a system designed to extract maximum value from people while minimizing their role in production.

It’s not just that our education must change; our country’s business model must also change. Capitalism itself must evolve. Companies must stop expecting fully trained, profit-generating workers without taking an active role in ensuring that happens.

 

What’s Missing in the System?

Not Enough  Real-World Training

  • Schools focus on theory, not experience.
  • Companies want skills, but students lack them.

A Tendency to Focus on Credentials Over Learning

  • Students chase degrees, not understanding.
  • Tests measure memorization, not wisdom.

Not Enough Self-Reflection

  • Schools teach subjects, not self-awareness.
  • Meditation builds focus, but schools tend to ignore reflective practices.

Business-Driven Learning

  • Colleges run like businesses.
  • Education serves money, not minds.
  • Student debt in the U.S. exceeds $1.7 trillion.

The Burden Shifting to Students 

  • Companies want “job-ready” hires.
  • Students must train themselves.
  • Many internships are often unpaid, excluding those who need income.

A Better System: Changing Business, Not Just Education

  • Businesses must stop shifting responsibility to schools and workers. They must invest in people.
  • Corporate Accountability – Companies must provide real training, not just expect “ready-made” employees.

  • Fair Wages & Stability – Reduce the amount of gig work, and unpaid internships must end. Work must provide security.

  • Human-Centered Economy – The well-being of people should come before profit.

 

Conclusion: The System Must Change

Employers fire workers because the education system fails them. The issue goes beyond a skills gap. Capitalism itself is shifting.

Modern society has lost its effective rites of passage. The transition from education to work is chaotic. Schools, businesses, and individuals must realign.

Capitalism seeks automation but still needs workers. Profit comes from labor, not machines, so the system faces a contradiction it cannot resolve.

The Meditativist approach reframes the issue. Liberation from the tensions of the education/work transition begins with insight. Understanding these systemic forces is the first step toward transforming them.

Schools must teach more than work skills. 

Businesses must evolve to support workers, not just exploit them. The system must change.

How do you see the tension between education and business evolving? Share your thoughts below!

About Me: Jerome S. Paige, The Meditativist

Jerome S. Paige, known as The Meditativist, bridges the inward focus of meditation with the outward purpose of action. As a writer, speaker, and facilitator, he guides individuals and communities in harmonizing life’s complexities through mindfulness and meaningful contributions. His philosophy, Meditativism, emphasizes the interplay of inner clarity and societal impact, inspiring others to cultivate justice, connection, and growth. Jerome’s work invites readers to explore profound questions, transform insights into action, and live with purpose and balance.