Digital ‘life after school’ platform Year13 has some disturbing news for print publishers after reporting a substantial investment from Future Now Capital earlier this year.

According to their research – quoted by marketing trade publication Mumbrella – 43 per cent of Gen Z audiences never engage with traditional print media, be it magazines or newspapers.

The age-group is cited as “one of the hardest to reach generations, consuming content and media almost exclusively via their phones and laptops”, with Year13 having published a report on ‘What Gen Z actually do online’.

Following a $10 million investment commitment from Future Now in January, Year13 says it has boosted its ranks with three senior appointments ahead of a rollout to agencies nationally. The Australian “school leaver advisory platform “says it has doubled its team to 70 members in the past 12 months.

New hires include Chris Adams as chief financial officer – from a similar position with GroupM – and Simon Greally, formerly chief executive at Indy Data Science and “one-time breakfast radio guru”, as chief marketing officer.

Ann-Maree Mulders, formerly national client partnerships director at Seven West Media’s then-magazine division Pacific, has joined as national commercial director.

In their LinkedIn blog, Year13 co-founders Saxon Phipps and Will Stubley talk of an “absolutely huge 12 months” for Year13.

“Ultimately at our core, we want to empower all Gen Zs with the digital community, tools, and support at scale via the Year13 platform,” says Phipps.

Mulders says Year13 connects with Gen Z when they’re making big life decisions and when they’re in an exploratory and learning mindset. “It’s a purposeful, influential and trusted connection,” she says.

Partnerships with Tealium and Braze help deliver data personalisation, UX and targeting for an audience that extends across digital and social. “Additionally, all of Year13 content is produced by Gen Zs for Gen Z, which is why the brand is so popular with the demo,” she says.

Year13 claims to service more than 1000 schools with over 1.6 million unique interactions per year, guiding students through a bespoke “post-school plan” based on their skills, desires and capabilities.

Advice is provided from more than 110 providers including universities, gap year options, trades, TAFE courses and industry bodies.