How wide is the generation gap?

Talking about my generation

Ah! The great music of the age – or possibly not if the '60s only exist for you in the history books. It didn't for me and my view of the world is set by the feeling that we seemed to be the lucky generation*.

To the radio generation raised in the 30s life was tough. This didn't mean they were miserable but simply that they accepted that jobs were few and far between and that if you had one you counted yourself lucky and didn't rock the boat. When it came to training, you were grateful for what you got.

And Management thought that too.

The times they are a'changing

Baby-boomers changed all that. Laid-back, confident but, above all, growing up in an age when everything seemed easy they didn't expect to suffer and they were quite prepared to answer back.

These changes in society were reflected in changing attitudes at work. Boomers still expected to work. Although they could pick and choose they saw it in terms of committing to an organisation, to a career. Once they had signed up they felt a loyalty to the company and expected that in return with investment in them. They considered that their views counted.

Redundancy hardly existed in those days and when it finally arrived it was seen as a betrayal. We could rename them the bewildered generation.

All change for generation X

Generation X, the MTV generation, who entered the workforce in the '80s, are a cooler group. Individualistic and self-contained they don't expect work to be a second family. They have a pragmatic view of their careers and consequently training. They expect to take what they need and not to waste their time. They don't expect jobs for life.

This generation has grown up with technology but for the real experts we turn in awe to the …

New kids on the block

Impatient, demanding and technically highly literate, this is the virtual generation, generation Y. Everything is done on their terms.

They do not expect to sit quietly in a lecture theatre and be instructed. They will do things their way, on their terms and walk away if they don't like it.

Their view of training is as different from the radio generation as is their understanding of the word 'wireless'. And these frightening individuals are arriving at a desk near you, now.

Tomorrow: how these generations collide in the classroom

*assuming you were in western Europe or the US, of course