A new study, which included Türkiye among nine countries, has revealed that two out of five people in Türkiye aspire to start their own business. Conducted by Preply, the Generational Expectations and Learning Habits Study surveyed 5,400 participants from countries including Türkiye, Argentina and Mexico.
In Türkiye, 38% of participants, or about two out of five, included starting their own business among their top three career goals. Turkish youth align with global trends, as nearly one in two prioritize financial stability as their main career objective. Additionally, two out of five participants rank achieving success in their work as their third career goal.
The study, which examines the priorities of Generation Z and Millennials, identifies financial stability as the foremost goal across all countries and age groups. Globally, 64% of Millennials and 59% of Generation Z respondents rank financial stability as their top life objective.
In Türkiye, both generations similarly emphasize career advancement as their primary focus, with financial stability closely trailing. Following career and financial stability, Turkish youth prioritize spending more time with family and friends, as well as maintaining physical health. Conversely, having an "important romantic relationship" is the least emphasized goal among Turkish youth, with only 15% considering it significant.
The study explored how professionals globally pursue personal growth. Findings showed that 29% of those seeking to improve their skills prioritize learning a new language, a choice that outpaced other development strategies such as adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools or enhancing technology skills.
Language learning has long been recognized as a key to personal and professional growth, reflected in the Turkish proverb "Bir lisan, bir insan" (One language, one person).
The rapid rise of AI was another significant focus. Both Generation Z and Millennials ranked "learning how to use AI tools" as the second most popular skill after language learning. Enhancing technology skills and leadership skills were the third and fourth most popular skills, respectively.
Globally, 54% of participants reported actively using AI tools like ChatGPT as a work assistant. This rate climbed to 59% among Generation Z, surpassing the 50% adoption rate among Millennials.
In Türkiye, 61% of participants reported using AI tools, making it a leader in AI adoption, surpassing countries such as the U.S., Germany, Japan and South Korea.
The global gender breakdown revealed that men were more likely to embrace AI technology, with 61% of male respondents actively using AI compared to 48% of women. When it came to learning how to use these tools, 25% of men engaged in AI learning, while only 19% of women pursued similar efforts.
The study also found that seven out of 10 people globally place greater importance on having a fulfilling and meaningful job than on financial stability. In Türkiye, 68% of participants expressed a stronger focus on finding work that brings them happiness and a sense of purpose compared to the previous year.
The importance of physical and mental health has increased noticeably, about 65% of participants globally reported placing greater emphasis on their well-being in 2024 compared to the previous year, with Spain leading where nearly 73% of respondents highlighted health as a priority.
