Why Should You Care About This Year’s 30 Under 30?

Forbes’ famous awards under the headline ‘30 under 30’ consist of 600 places spanning 20 different categories.  Over 15,000 capable, impressive young individuals are nominated, but less than 4% make the cut. As the name makes clear, nominees must be under 30, and have made an outstanding contribution to your industry during their short time on Earth.

The categories range from range from ‘Art and Style’ to ‘Manufacturing and Industry’, with everything in-between. Each category then has 30 places, and whilst the nature of the age restriction does mean that the majority of those listed are the older end of the scale, some are as young as 16.

Faces range from famous Olympians and well-known movie stars to those far less in the public eye. 1 in 7 of the 600 are immigrants, and there is no apparent gender bias (though of course certain industries favour certain genders, as representative of those working in that field).

There are, however, a few traits that are shared across the spectrum. Across all of those selected, Elon Musk is by far the most common role model. Musk is best known as founder and CEO of aerospace company SpaceX. He also founded and runs various other companies, including Tesla inc. and Neuralink. Instagram is another shared interest, and is the favourite social media platform across the 600 under 30s.

Why should you care?

• These youngsters are the leaders of the future: In order to see who will be controlling and leading the charge into tomorrow, look at these 600 powerful figures who are already making a name for themselves.

• Are you looking to achieve success? Reading about how these inspirational figures made their careers, and made them quickly, can be the greatest of motivators. The fact that over 50% are founders or co-founders ought to give you an idea of how to get ahead.

• The 30 under 30 span 20 different industries, and can provide a fascinating insight into jobs and roles that you never knew existed. It can be particularly useful for those still in education – or indeed those making choices about their education – to acquaint themselves with the list, as a source of inspiration.

• This list will remind you not to judge a book by its cover; some familiar faces such as Kylie Jenner are more than just TV personalities, and as such appear here. This particular teenager’s business skills have made her millions through cosmetics and clothing lines.

• Keep up with current affairs; from the White House to the power players of YouTube, Forbes’ compilation of influential up-and-coming figures will keep you informed (and make you appear knowledgeable to others), letting you know who’s ahead of the game

It would take you all day to go through all 600 of the under 30s, so here’s a snapshot of 5 fascinating figures, each from a different category:

 Skyler Grey:   The creative youngster, Art & Style

One of the very youngest of the 600, Skyler Grey was just 16 when nominated, and creates phenomenal artwork which is paving the way for the street art style. Having had his work displayed in art shows from the age of 11, Skyler’s artwork interpretations of cartoon characters and luxury brands are more than worth a look. This young artist is definitely one to watch.

 Hope Hicks:  Blowing up a storm in the White House,  Law & Policy

Becoming Strategic Communications Director to the White House at just 28 is nothing short of hugely impressive. Having been Donald Trump’s one-woman press team last year Hicks certainly knows her way around a controversy, and how to play social media for all it’s worth.

 Blair Brettschneider:  Giving girls the chances they deserve, Education

Having tutored refugees and worked with a refugee resettlement agency, Brettschneider began the non-profit organisation GirlForward at just 22 years old. The company has since provided education, mentoring and leadership opportunities for 200 refugee girls, and Brettschneider has travelled to Paris as one of two US representatives for the 2011 UNESCO Youth Forum.

Jessica McKeller,  Engineering aficionado, Enterprise Technology  

Having sold her successful start-up Zulip  (an open-source group-chat website) to Dropbox in 2012, McKeller quickly rose to the head of Dropbox projects. She now leads the engineering, product and design operations teams of this multi-million-pound corporation.

Simone Biles:  Extraordinary gymnast, Sport

The grace and power of this young gymnast’s ability have not only acquired her a spot on this list, but also an extraordinary 4 Olympic gold medals and 10 gold world championship medals. This makes her one of the most decorated US gymnasts ever at just 19. Biles’ dedication and enthusiasm caught the eye of many at the last Olympic games, leading to huge popularity for Biles not only in the US but also across the globe.

Alexandra Jane is the writer and editor of graduate careers advice for Inspiring Interns, a graduate recruitment agency. Check out their website to see which internships and graduate jobs are currently available. Or, if you’re looking to hire an intern, have a look at their innovative Video CVs. 

Want more insights into the 30 under 30?  Check out these videos!