{"id":18876,"date":"2021-08-09T12:46:35","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T11:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=18876"},"modified":"2021-08-09T12:46:35","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T11:46:35","slug":"generation-hustle-the-open-university-discovers-a-new-wave-of-passion-preneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/around-ou\/university-news\/generation-hustle-the-open-university-discovers-a-new-wave-of-passion-preneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Generation Hustle\u2019: The Open University discovers a new wave of Passion-preneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whilst many say young people have been hugely affected by the pandemic, latest polling reveals a new wave of optimism when it comes to the study and the career choices of today\u2019s school leavers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Open University study has identified the next generation of \u2018Passion-preneurs\u2019 \u2013 students inspired to undertake a degree and pursue a side hustle or career that is inspired by the interests they love.<\/p>\n

Revealing that the hustle generation, or Gen H, is<\/em> alive and kicking despite the pandemic – whether it\u2019s money on their mind, a need-to-work and study ethic, or the desire to get ahead fast – the results highlight a goal-driven generation that wants flexibility to juggle their student lives with their career ambitions.<\/p>\n

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More than half of young people polled said they’d already turned a hobby into a side hustle<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some 28% of students intending to go to university have a passion project that already makes them income, and 28% have ambitions to turn this into a career. Over a quarter (29%) are sharpening their entrepreneurial skills with a part-time job and<\/em> a passion project all connected to their choice of degree. Gen H has sharp ideas about their future and where they want their career to take them and they\u2019re taking the steps to make it happen now.<\/p>\n

Prospective students want the option to work on passion projects while studying<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Flexibility to work and study is especially important to Gen H. Stats show 56% of students considering university want to work on passion projects at the same time and 29% say their decision about which subject to study was led by their passion project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent report[i]<\/a> showed the OU produces more CEOs than any other UK university suggesting the Open University is the place for students with this hustle mentality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This enterprising group are thinking about the building blocks towards a future too. Some 51% say their degree subject will help them to progress in their career and 88% say that it’s important that their university helps them with a qualification that will assist them to achieve their career goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to four in every five (84%) of respondents that their future university helps them pursue their ambitions by providing expert learning advice.<\/p>\n

Young people expect to have multiple jobs in their lifetime<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The insights also show that students applying to university expect to have 3-5 jobs in their lifetime revealing that Generation Hustle are young people who are willing to explore new avenues when it comes to their career choices and who express a desire for lifelong learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some 22% have a passion project that doesn\u2019t currently earn money \u2013 46% say it\u2019s on a back burner but it will lead to a career and 16% say it helps with wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Open University comes third amongst 174 participating degree-awarding universities, a rise from 17th<\/sup> place in 2019 underlining the growing popularity for distance learning and the OU as the trusted place chosen by many to follow their ambition and study for a degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Open University has seen a rise in its student numbers over the past year, as the pandemic means more people are choosing to study online with the OU. The University cites the impact of Covid-19 as the main driver of the increase; it has significantly increased the demand for upskilling and reskilling and has emphasised the attractiveness of high-quality distance learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total number of students for 2020\/21 is up 15% on last year to over 163,000.[ii]<\/a> The total number of new students registering with the OU in the past year is over 59,000 compared to nearly 47,000 in 2019\/20. A rise of 25%.<\/p>\n

Respect for Rashford among young<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The survey\u2019s other key findings include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n