I’m very much interested with Prof. Maimunah Aminuddin brief about generation Y, or better know as ‘Gen Y’. What is actually Gen Y all about. Some psychology text books date the Y Generation individuals to be born between 1976 and 2003, which describe them as voracious consumers of electronic media (e-generation)projected to spend 23 years of their life online (1/3 of their lives!) Cameron, G. T., Wilcox, D. L., Reber, B. H., & Shin, J. (2008). Public relations today: Managing competition and conflict. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

While in Malaysia what do we know about Generation Y (those born after 1980)? A great deal of research has been conducted to determine the characteristics of this generation, the young people who are now leaving school and college and joining the workforce. They are technology savvy; indeed they cannot survive without their gadgets which sprout from their ears and pockets. They and their technology are wired into one package.

They communicate with words, just like you and me, but these words are sent through the air-waves by electronic means. They internet, they SMS, they google, they Facebook. Do you know how to talk to them? To communicate with this Generation Y you have to provide entertainment. They grew up with TV and Astro and computer games. But they are not couch potatoes. They want to be with others of their generation.

How does TV3 attract these people? They organize concerts, Jom Heboh concerts! Generation Y grew up with computers at school. They frequent cyber cafes, if they can’t afford their own home computer or laptop. They expect to find all their information needs on the Web.

Generation Y expect fast-track upward career movement. They belong to the instant society – instant noodles, instant food and instant promotion. After just six months out of college, fresh graduates expect to be a manager!When employers cannot or will not meet these expectations, these young workers leave, looking for greener fields. They become wanderers, always hunting for the right job and the right employer.

The Generation Y can be described in four positive ways:

A generation that is confident, self-sufficient, and achievement-oriented

A generation that is the most education-minded in history

A generation paving the way to a more open, tolerant society

A socially conscious generation leading a new wave of volunteerism

As a matter of fact they are our future leaders. They should be guided accordingly, but the question is who or what or how to approach them effectively?