Monika Schnitzer, the dean of the economics faculty, defended young people’s willingness to work against rising criticism. “Generation Z works harder than the generations before them” she told the newspapers of the Funke media group. “They enter the labor market faster and also put in more hours than before”. She added that many students could not afford university without working.
Schnitzer rebuked the accusations. “It’s a mistake to blame the young. These unfounded claims and blame‑shifting must end” she said. “In fact, it’s often the older generations who believe they’ve worked enough to retire at 63 or even 64”.
She also disputed the idea that young people avoid risk and are flocking to civil‑service jobs. “That’s not true” she replied. “They don’t queue for state jobs. In Munich, many prefer to work for companies like BMW”. At the same time, she questioned the civil‑service status of teachers. “Teachers don’t have to be civil servants” she noted. “Professors aren’t either”.