Turning the tables

I was lucky enough to find a good job, in my field, right out of college. I know that's not always the case, or even common, and I consider myself very fortunate in that regard. One thing that has been on my mind off and on ever since is the growing trend that seems to be ocurring more and more in the workplace - situations where 40-50-60 something age people have 20-30 somethings as their superiors. That thought was refreshed in my mind again this morning when I went to Starbucks when I was waiting to meet someone.

I saw two girls, one probably middle to late 20's, the other probably late 20's - and a middle aged guy, probably middle to late 50's. I caught the very beginning of their conversation - it was an evaluation of the man by the two girls (they were all employees). A couple sentences caught my ear, and I was trying not to listen, but it sounded like part of the conversation had to do with some improvements that he needed to make. I wondered what was going through the mind of that man, and if any of it had to do with the fact that he had two people half his age telling him that he needed to work on some things.

I've felt the same kinds of things here in the church I'm working at - technically, by title, I am at a different level than some of those who are both older than me and have been here years longer than me, but I don't ever feel like I am -- or want to be -- seen as any higher than any of my coworkers. It's not even necessary - our jobs, though vital to the others, cross in the ministry we do, but we each have our own areas of control. I guess I think of it more in places like restaurants, department stores, etc., where so often now, some of the most powerful managers and CEO's are younger college and grad school "kids" that are "more qualified" than their 40 something counterparts who have more life experience than they could shake a stick at.

Every situation is different of course - the young adults of today have grown up well versed, and almost -- if not totally -- dependent on the ever growing and changing technology present in the world today. This in and of itself is a difference, not to mention that it seems more and more kids are attending either community colleges or doing the 4 year route - in Liberal Arts schools that force them to become the "well rounded individuals" that are sought out in so many workplaces today, where often one of the job requirements is a college education - sometimes in the particular field, sometimes not. This is different from even 10 or 20 years ago.

Now, understand that I am by no means saying that this younger generation is more capable than the generations before them - but that society seems to be creating a niche for them - simply by virtue of growing up in the time period that we did. Many people seem to be going back to college, getting more under thier belts - for reasons of both necessity and personal desire, and the younger generation, already equipped with so many of the skills desired by the workforce, have the advantage of being required to learn and develope the skills as part of their general education - even before they end up in a college somewhere. Now, with all of that said, are we creating a situation where any of this ever be considered a kind of age discrimination? Or is it merely a changing of the times - after all, go back even 15 to 20 years before computers were a staple in almost every home - and that generation had its own set of advantages with the current era of technology that put them above the ones that came before them.

Anyway, I don't know if any of this is even totally true, or if it is just something I have noticed, and because of that, continue to notice each time I see it. What do you think? And, for that matter, what's next?