Access to social protection and quality public services Aşkın Keser Career Construction in the Age of Uncertainty: The Paradox of Talent Alignment and Access to Social Rights for Generation Z
Research Symposium 2026 Young people’s access to social rights (European Union), Strasbourg, Fransa, 15 - 17 Eylül 2026, ss.1, (Özet Bildiri)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
- Basıldığı Şehir: Strasbourg
- Basıldığı Ülke: Fransa
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1
- Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Abstract
In
the contemporary landscape of the “New World of Work”, the traditional career
ladder has been replaced by a fluid and volatile environment defined by the
VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) framework. Driven by
technological forces such as digitalization, automation, and the data economy,
the nature of employment has undergone a radical transformation. This study
explores the “Career Construction” journey of Generation Z, who navigate an era
where the average job tenure has dropped to 2.5 years and the traditional “we
are a family" organizational culture has collapsed. The research utilizes
a qualitative conceptual analysis and literature review, integrating the
Protean and Boundaryless Career theories with Savickas’ Career Construction
model. The study examines the shift from organizational loyalty to “work-centric”
commitment and its impact on social rights. Findings indicate that while the
new career norms emphasize “upskilling” and “reskilling” as pathways to
success, they simultaneously create a “paradox of access”. As career paths
become more fragmented across an average of 16 different institutions, the
responsibility for professional development and social security is increasingly
shifted from corporations to the individual worker—a phenomenon described as
the individualization of risk. The findings suggest that “talent alignment” and
“social skills” (empathy, problem-solving, resilience) are no longer just
competitive advantages but survival mechanisms in a neoliberal discourse that
often equates structural unemployment with a “deficit of aspirations”. In
conclusion, the study highlights that for Generation Z, career construction is
not merely a psychological process of self-design but a struggle to maintain
social rights in precarious work arrangements. The research calls for a policy
response that holds corporations accountable for the risks incurred by young
people, moving beyond the narrative of “individual resilience” toward a
sustainable workforce model that guarantees social rights regardless of the
fluidity of the job role.
Keywords: VUCA, Career Construction, Generation Z, Social
Rights, Precarious Work, Upskilling Paradox.