To ask for career advice for my DD

If she likes costumes and hair then media/theatrical hair, make-up and costume design might be a good option for her, either at college or uni. I'd probably suggest doing A levels (so she has the option of something else down the line) then uni. It might be an idea to consider what would make her happy, rather than trying to satisfy external expectations of what's considered 'subpar'.

Let her be a hairdresser (and an Uber driver!) if that's what she wants to do. She can always go to university later in life if she changes her mind.

Perhaps she's realised that these are not the things that lead to a happy and fulfilling life.

I think your dd should start off with the hairdressing and see where it goes.

I certainly wouldn’t be encouraging any young person to go to university in this climate unless they have a clear path to a career. I say this for two reasons: the amount of debt it creates and the risk of not being paid back due to increasing scarcity of jobs requiring “human brains” or even human skills.

No one is going to be trusting a robot to cut their hair for a while. So it’s good choices And it still gives her ample opportunity to develop her cosplay skills and see if she can pick up some private commissions or whatever.

I think hairdressing is a great career option actually, very AI proof! She could aim to get in to theatrical/tv hairdressing & makeup
if she is in to cosplay.

She sounds much more creative than wanting academic study.
If she’s passionate about hairdressing then that seems a sensible choice. Maybe encourage her to try and get some work experience or pt job to see what it’s like in reality. All day on feet, making tea etc.
If she later changes mind adults can do 1 year access course instead of A levels.
The get into debt uni thing. Lots do study degrees that realistically won’t lead to high paid work so will never pay loan and if she’s wanting to study textiles then it is an option.
Lots if careers just want a degree. So 3 yrs textiles then join a graduate role or do further training like teaching or OT or art therapy.
I also know someone who did an art foundation course fully funded as a yr14 and did textiles.
Lifestyle thing. Presumably you are funding now. I’d start having very realistic conversations about costs and lifestyle. Encourage a pt job. The world is changing and lots do have several jobs or sidelines eg they may create a product but also do social media.

She definitely needs to get some work experience or take a gap year/paid work at some places she thinks she would like to work. Having something you enjoy and doing it as a career are very different, especially if it doesn’t allow her the lifestyle she wants.

I also agree that hairdressing is more AI proof than textiles (although my DD denies it).

I am very unclear what is meant by textiles in this context. You mention costume making for cosplay so are we talking dressmaking/ tailoring skills? I would have thought a practical skill like that was fairly AI proof.

She can do anything… later. My friend did hair and now does nails in a shed in her garden, and uses the creativity for everything, interior design, making clothes, social media for companies, modelling. My other friend went on to do theatrical make up and has worked on bbc and Netflix productions. My other friend was a great cosplayer and now does it as a hobby and still goes to Japan three times a year. Your daughter will succeed no matter what she does for a job, she’ll find a way to weave it into her life.

She sounds very creative! I wouldn't worry about her skills being "only ok", she's 16! She isn't the finished product yet!

I would say she should do whatever she loves most, because there's no way she'll work hard otherwise.

Yes, be realistic about wages, but it doesn't sound like she's considering a super high wage lawyer/accountant type job, I wouldn't say there's a huge difference between hairdressing and textile work.

If she has the academic ability I’d encourage her to do her A levels alongside the Saturday job at the hairdressers. That keeps her options open for the next stage. Hopefully she can find a college offering a textile and fashion A level .

She’s too young just now to separate her interests/ hobbies from actual careers. However she sounds rather lovely and has dreams and aspirations which are so lacking in a lot of kids her age.

Trade before a degree - always!
I spent 10 years in trade after leaving school. Then did an art degree in my 30th. I knew I will always have a way to make money and the degree was just because I was interested in the subject and never had any expectations for it to bring me amazing income.

I'm a big believer in not going to university unless it's absolutely required for a given profession (e.g. medicine, dentistry). There's no point starting life with £50k debt, and then student loans that take 20+ years to pay off, if you do at all.

If she wants to be a hairdresser as a younger adult then let her pursue that for now, especially as she has a way to get her toe in the door. This is extremely important in this current job market!

She can continue to make her own cosplay stuff in her free time. With no kids, and no uni, she'll have plenty of time to do so. Instead of uni she could do some evening courses in textiles.

If you are earn over £25,000 between you in England then you are expected to make a parental contribution to her uni costs.
Obviously some parents can’t afford it but some refuse as they want child to do a certain subject or a trade instead.
If you check online you can see what your required contribution is, my DD’s is £6000 a year but in reality more as accommodation costs are high.

I'd encourage her to do the hairdressing. If she goes to uni she'll potentially waste thousands on a degree she may not even use. Hair dressing has so much potential working in chain salons, self employed, mobile, branching out into other health and beauty fields. If she develops a passion to study something else later she can do that, but she'll still have the hair dressing to fall back on.

If she’s potentially interested in costume making then the Royal Opera House has an apprentice programme that might be worth looking at.

Ultimately it’s her decision (and debt)
If she’s been dead keen on textiles I think plan of pt job in hairdressers is good then she can decide in summer after her GCSEs, there’s no rush there will be places on either A levels or hairdressing.