Abstract: Changes in the contemporary labor market, characterized by digitalization and increased flexibility of employment forms, are reshaping traditional career patterns. Generation Z demonstrates a tendency toward autonomy while simultaneously operating in a context where job security remains highly valued. The aim of this paper is to examine the career orientation of Generation Z students along a continuum between secure employment and an entrepreneurial career. The study is conceptually grounded in models of career choice and entrepreneurship and includes risk perception, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and the need for autonomy. The empirical research was conducted using a survey method on a sample of N = 45 students, applying descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed a statistically significant negative relationship between risk perception and entrepreneurial career orientation, while entrepreneurial self-efficacy and the need for autonomy were positively associated with entrepreneurial orientation. The strongest relationship was identified between entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial career orientation. The contribution of the paper lies in the development of an integrated model of Generation Z career orientation and its implications for the education system and the labor market.

Keywords: autonomy, Generation Z, risk perception, entrepreneurship, secure employment