Do your teens know what they want to do? Uni/Work/etc

[Carlottie]

15 and 16 year old DDs, halfway through GCSEs (5 last year, 3 next summer), ambling along happily with absolutely no idea what they want to do.

We've been to careers fairs, talked about jobs and work, they've clocked up some work experience in different places and do a bit of volunteering and local shop/cafe work.

Neither of them have a CLUE what they want to do. University, job or apprenticeship? No idea. Vague areas of interest? Not really.

They're both done/doing a range of GCSE's to keep their options open. They do loads of groups - drama, sports, music, etc. and see a fair bit of the world with travel and so on. We're totally fine with the lack of direction tbh - we're not putting any pressure on them at all. I'm just interested to know if people have teens with any idea about careers at this point?

We've discussed the possibility of having different directions through their working lives, and prioritising doing something that makes them happy, as well as paying their bills. DD2 wanted to be a vet, but changed her mind. That's about as far as we've got

Mine don't have a clue

However I didn't at that age, and changed career once or twice.

They are young so don't worry too much.

14 year old wants to be in the military. While that might change I can see why he wants to do it- he’d never be someone who would be happy in a desk job ( unlike me). I wouldn’t be surprised if he changes his mind though. If it’s any consolation I didn’t know until I left Uni and sort of fell into my grad job and then worked my way to where I wanted to be.

Thanks for replying. I think it's on my radar because of A levels being the next stage and they'll need to narrow their direction of travel a bit at that stage. DD15 has started an early A level, but only because she loves the subject (not for a job, obv ). It's reassuring to hear other people's experiences anyway!

Same!!

DD17 is in the midst of alevels and would like to do an apprenticeship; amazing…but what in? NO IDEA.

DS15 and we’re looking at colleges and we’re looking at everywhere and everything in a hope a flicker of interest is sparked.

Next year will be very interesting in Casa Coffee!

Mine were 18, doing Leaving Cert in lreland when they decided what course they wanted to study. Eventually did Masters in a small part of that broader degree and then jobs. It's OK. They have time and even then it's not set in stone. DS got very interested in one part of his course that he had no idea it was on that particular course so that determined his decision. Life has a way of opening up opportunities.

Coffee

Yes, we have a bit of, "...ooh, so you like sharks, do you? Did you know that marine bio...."

"MUM! I like sharks. I don't want to be a marine biologist 😂"

Do most teens still want to go to uni? Mine don't seem to want to do that either!

I love that thought, I've added it to my list of stuff that I say to try to inspire the DC

DD1 - yes. She has loved architecture since I brought home a magazine about houses and decor over 10 years ago ... She'll be going to university for years and years but as she says, it's all she wants to do.
Dd2 - no idea about a career but stronger academically. She'll go to university but in sciences
I had no idea personally so ended up a teacher. It can be a good living but it's not the 'easy-out' that some think.

Ds1 is 16, first year of A Levels, and wants to be an accountant. He's been pretty set on this for a couple of years now.

Ds2 is 14 and wants to be a lawyer. However he's currently very into watching Suits. And about six months ago he went through all of The Rookie and during that he wanted to go into the Police so...

Mine desperately wanted to be a doctor.

It was absolutely the wrong career for him and when he applied for degrees he was rejected.

He took a gap year and thought again.

Try this excellent website
https://icould.com/

It was set up and it's funded by a philanthropist so it isn't anything you have to sign up for, not is it attached to any particular institution or organisation.
Really excellent resource.

DD wanted to be a Paramedic from the age of 8 and that has never changed (now 19)....She's in her 1st year at Uni doing Paramedic Science, she was the only student in her class at school who knew what they wanted to do.
We found when they were in Yrs 10 and 11 the pressure from school telling them they have to decide what they want to do career wise was insane, it put a lot of pressure on the other students that a few that we know of just do nothing 😞 All the best to your 2 daughters though and I wouldn't worry too much, they will find what interests them eventually x

Dd1. Always wanted to be a midwife. Did her training. Worked. Now doing a master degree in midwifery at a Scandinavian university.
Ds. Never really sure what he wanted to do - took a gap year after Alevel. Went to a youth school in Scandinavian, took music lessons and travelled. He studies medicine at an English university and he is happy.
Dd2 wants to built windmills or look after the tigers in zoo. She might work on her plans but still in primary school.

My ds had wanted to be a paleontologist for a loooong time... But despite encouraging his interest in various ways, he has never actually pricked his ears up when we've put something related to it under his nose... As suspected he was just another kid who liked dinosaurs. 😁

However, he now is thinking (14yo) that hotel management might be of interest, he fancies being in with a big corporate like Hilton and going to work in different hotels round the world.
I think he'd be quite good at it actually as he's a good people person and not afraid of graft.

But it could all change by Monday before he has to get serious, and that's ok. I was in my 30's before I had a good idea... Though I was spectacularly poorly guided and clueless as to what the world even had to offer, so not surprising really. I've still managed to make an ok life.

Damn, I'm 50 and still don't know what I want to do... I admire people who can find something they have a passion to pursue, but many are not like that.

I love learning new things, and enjoy working in a general sense, but have no great passion workwise (or actually outside of work). Once I have done something for a while it gets boring (usually after 1-3 years, but I'm getting too old to keep chopping and changing 😎).

DD is in uni, and said that most people she knows there are only at uni because they have no idea what they want to do.

So I would say it's not unusual.

Mine did. She had a career in mind. Picked uni based on that, was put COMPLETELY off by the first year of the course and quit.

Applied for a random selection of things and is now training in a completely different career for something I am surprised she even considered as I never thought she'd be interested in it. And she's loving it!

There's plenty of time.

There are too many choices.

At their stage it is much more useful to identify what they definitely DO NOT want to do

Do they not want to work with people / children / animals / elderly?
Do they not want to be based indoors / outdoors / overseas / at home?
Do they not want to be surrounded by people / isolated at home?

My DD could tell you about 10 things she wouldn't want to do but may only 1 or 2 that she would.

Ds has no idea, and it seems school has sucked the joy out of anything he likes by pressuring a career in it. We looked round unis although he was adamant not going -so he could at least make an informed choice. waste of time and money, apparently. He is even more against it now.

He seems to want to ride his own race and not follow a designated path. Do it alone etc. Def not Told what is best for him. Doesn't know himself but its not anything we try and interest him in!

Currently heading towards end sixth form and very chilled all will be fine. Argues politics and drives us all mad tbh.

Other dc exact opposite. Academic, studious, uni bound, works the system and doesn't rail against it. Finds life easier but very stressed it won't be alright .

We have those conversations! Sometimes dc feign interest to see what I say. They find it amusing 😡

Please share, out of curiosity may I ask, what did she set out to do and what has she ended up doing that she loves? 🙂

Yes DS (15) wants to be a pilot in the RAF but he understands that it’s extremely competitive so his back up plan is engineering in the RAF. Actually his back up plan is Navy pilot, so engineering is his back up back up plan. He’s doing all he can to make his dream of being a pilot happen and I really hope it does for him 🤞.

Both my DDs had specific healthcare careers as their goal from years 8/9 onwards and are still pursuing those plans. Not sure I agree with their choices but ultimately it’s their call to make.

She set out to be an accountant.

And now is training to be a dental hygienist!