Sopra Steria has carried out a study on the aspirations of recent graduates from engineering, IT, and STEM fields across Europe and India. The study confirms a strong interest in breakthrough technologies (AI, quantum computing) and for serving the greater good (developed with a Green IT approach). Policies promoting work-life balance are also highly sought after.
Regarding the international panel, key findings include:
- The technologies preferred by young graduates are related to Quantum Computing (60 per cent), followed by Green IT (54 per cent) and Cloud (53 per cent).
- The top three factors influencing job choice are compensation (47 per cent), career development opportunities (36 per cent), and work-life balance (36 per cent).
“The results of this study illustrate the growing importance of disruptive technologies and societal values in the aspirations of young tech talent,” said Louis-Maxime Nègre, Director of Human Resources at Sopra Steria Group. “At Sopra Steria, we firmly believe that technological innovation must be aligned with its contribution to the greater good. This is why we advocate for responsible artificial intelligence and integrate Green IT into our value chain while offering tailored career paths for our talent. Our mission is to create high-performing, sustainable, and impactful digital solutions”.
In 2024, 53 per cent of young graduates identified quantum computing as the most attractive field, followed closely by Green IT (48 per cent) and cloud computing (43 per cent). However, in France, AI remains the most popular, with 55 per cent of graduates aspiring to work in this domain.
Louis-Maxime Nègre added: “These insights reveal an interesting trend: the appeal of a technology seems closely tied to its position on the Gartner hype curve. Emerging technologies captivate more, at least for a first job, than those that are already in the industrialisation phase. For a company like Sopra Steria, this underscores the necessity of maintaining a strong commitment to innovation.”
Beyond their technological preferences, tech graduates express significant expectations toward their future employers, particularly in HR developments. The top three priorities identified are:
Regarding work-life balance solutions, several measures rank among the top choices for young graduates:
- Home officeis widely favoured — 2 or 3 days a week by 85 per cent of respondents. This intriguing figure nuances the emerging trends of a full return to the office while excluding the norm of 100 per cent remote work.
- Freelancingcomes a close second (81 per cent). The rise of freelancing as a preferred option among young tech graduates reflects their quest for flexibility and control over their work-life balance.
Anticipating these trends, Sopra Steria has implemented several programmes tailored to the expectations of young tech talent, combining innovation, cutting-edge technologies, and responsibility to design and execute major projects serving European citizens.
- A Comprehensive AI Programme
The Group has rolled out a programme dedicated to artificial intelligence for its 52,000 employees to integrate this technology into all activities where it can make a meaningful impact. This programme aims both to train all teams in the use of AI and to embed this technology in all relevant offerings of the Group.
- Developing Solutions with a Green IT Approach
Deeply committed to sustainable digital practices, Sopra Steria also supports its clients in their ecological transition by delivering high-performance solutions developed with a Green IT approach. This approach incorporates solutions designed to reduce the environmental impact of digital activities while balancing economic performance with ecological responsibility.
- Supporting Talent
Sopra Steria offers personalised career development opportunities, enabling talent to upskill in diverse sectors such as industry, banking, and aerospace. These pathways support individual ambitions while addressing current technological and societal challenges.
