Child wants to be a Historian

[Priceyyy]

Hi all, any advice please. My ten year old is absolutely mad about History and has wanted to be a Historian since she was five. She is currently greater depth in History and it’s something she’s really serious about. Is there anyone she could speak to that could give her more ideas and information as not sure who I would go to. This probably sounds like a silly question but every careers fair she goes to she gets excited there will be someone to talk to but there never is 😔

They're 10, why not let them enjoy their childhood without thinking about the future. The world is going to change dramatically in terms of jobs within the next 10 years, with AI.

The job market has changed dramatically in my lifetime. Computer technology (outside the likes of NASA) didn't exist when I was at school. But my childhood wasn't ruined by hearing about jobs such as herbalist or museum curator that I hadn't previously heard of. Air hostess or hairdresser was what most of the girls in my class aspired to.

For sure, no one is saying it would do harm, but it’s the kind of thing that costs extra, so pragmatically speaking, I personally would prefer to see it offered at KS3 or 4. None of my DC went to multiple careers fairs through their whole school career. Maybe one, or a UCAS event. So I guess some of us are surprised at multiple careers fairs for 9/10yos.

I think it’s fine that a child is thinking about possible careers. Continue to encourage her interest for as long as she wants, and also any other interests she has! They change so much as they grown.

When I was very young I wanted to be a vet, despite being terrified of most animals! At secondary school I loved all of history, English, and science, and did consider applying for a science undergraduate, especially something health-related. But I decided to go with history as something really loved.

However, the idea of becoming a researcher and academic only really occurred to me while I was an undergraduate. I simply didn’t know anyone who did that role until I reached university and realised it was a possibility. So in that sense, having her explore different options now is great, but without becoming totally set on something very particular.

Every time you say this a professor dies.

Thank you so much to the people that have posted ‘helpful’ replies on here. To the people that thought my question was weird and the person that thought there would be a reason for me to “exaggerate “ about careers fairs not quite sure why you even replied at all. Like I said, thank you so much for the helpful answers, which were thankfully the majority.

If research is your true love as a historian, being what's called an independent researcher can be better than having an academic post. You're not tied by admin, budgets, targets and all the rest of it, and depending on your subject you can do a lot with a laptop, an internet connection and maybe a few paid subscriptions. Unlike a scientist who might need access to a lab.

But if your subject requires a lot of travel to far flung archives, then obviously better if you can get someone else to pay for it and do it on someone else's time.

I work in this field and AI is currently really inaccurate. It also can't set up displays, move objects, retrieve documents from stores, teach school groups, give talks to community groups, provide tours in restricted areas, conserve things, or recreate the magic of holding something hundreds of years old. It has its uses - we can collate feedback far faster for example - but it certainly won't replace museum and archive teams. Jobs aren't well paid and can be hard to find, but are hugely satisfying.

I was genuinely interested in how the careers fairs worked. I work in the sector and I’ve not heard of year 5 students attending multiple careers fairs 🤷‍♀️
It is quite unusual!!

What a load of rubbish people are posting. Of course it's good to be supporting her interests! Sounds like she might want to study Classics. Where in the country are you? Winchester College have an amazing little museum (Treasury) and lots of events, inc for children. I'm sure she'd end up talking to lots of inspiring people there. You can do a free tour of the college too which is obvs very historical!

I think Oxford would be a great place to visit too... again lots of events and very strong Classics dpt so loads going on. Lovely parks snd playgrounds nearby too.

Sorry, it wasn’t your post I was referring to. Her school go to different fairs at different schools and it is something that happens in Year 5 and Year 6 for the schools in our area. We have a large well known Private School close by so we interact with their school too where various people go in to talk about different jobs. Not quite sure with the couple of people who said I was apparently ‘exaggerating’ what I would gain out of doing so.

What a great career plan. I don't think careers fairs are likely to be any help - even taking a broader view of it as an academic career, it's still very niche.

For now I'd just think in terms of encouraging her love of history. Trips to interesting historical places, reading, museums. There are lots of excellent history podcasts and TV shows she might enjoy. Popular historians do book tours- might be fun to go to a few talks. You can talk to her about the steps it takes to become an academic historian and the other ways she can work with history- popular history writing, curating etc. But at 10 the base of it all is love of the subject.

Thank you. Are the fairs being held at secondary schools?

At this age 'career days' are great as it's an opportunity to hear about different jobs. Career fairs are typically attended by colleges, universities and employers so less useful for 10 year olds!

History is a great subject so even if she doesn't end up in a career directly related to history it's still very valuable and loved by employers. At this age it's about encouraging a love for the subject and for learning as opposed to full on career planning.

I work at Cambridge University, para 1 of your post is bafflingly wrong. Please don't advise if you don't know anything about a topic

Why are people being negative about a curious child who wants to 'be something' when she is older?? I am a teacher and one of the saddest part of my job is when a child just shrugs and says 'dunno' or 'nothing' when you ask them what they want to be when they are older. All children should want to reach for the stars - whatever that may be for them and it is heartbreaking when a child has not been given encouragement or stimulus to think beyond their own bedroom.
OP, just continue to encourage - libraries, museums, days out, T.V., film, podcasts etc. Greg Jenner does a great podcast on BBC sounds which is a child friendly version of You're Dead to Me'. There was also a great documentary series hosted by Sarah Cox (channel 4 'Back to School' I think?) where each episode took a class of school children through school in different decades. My dd loved it!! Loads to explore so she should enjoy!

Ah how exciting, good for her!

I love History, I'm currently doing an OU course in it as I didn't go further than GCSEs at school. My kids love it too, very fond of Horrible Histories here, which was great at encouraging their enthusiasm and a good way of discussing subjects. As well as buying many books, we also went to lots of museums. Although none of them went on to study history further they have a very good knowledge of it.

Two of mine also knew they wanted to be scientists from a very young age, both graduated and looking to do Masters in science subjects now. So I don't think it's that unusual for some kids to know what they want to do. Just as it's not unusual for others to have no idea (I don't know what I want to be when I grow up😁)

OK apologies. Although I was a teacher, so I do know that history teacher in a school is a possible history-related employment outcome. Out of interest what is so wrong about what I said? I wasn't saying no one can work in history at universities for example, quite the opposite, or at least I didn't intend to say that.

Is it not the case that a career working in history at a university will not be easily within the reach of most history graduates? The ones I know personally work in unrelated roles, though that is through their own choice for sure.

Again, apologies that my post was misleading. There are a lot of people on this thread with more knowledge than me on this specific subject for sure.

Fair enough. It was really that many TV historians are academics. There are information jobs that historians also go for in libraries and so on.

Before anyone says it, archivists will still be needed now we have AI.

Ah I see. What I meant in the case of Lucy W for example, was that she was discovered as a possible TV personality by chance I believe – so it’s not as tho she applied for that role and got it, more that she was working in another role in the field (curator I think) and was spotted as someone who could bring history to life. So it was serendipity and right place, right time, rather than an advertised role anyone could have gone for. So that just makes it a bit harder I guess.

It's great that your daughter is enjoying following her passion. I always loved history and was your daughter's age when I started researching my family tree. 32 years later I'm still doing it! It also led me to do a history degree, followed by an architectural history MA. I spent years doing freelance research, initially just family tree stuff as a teenager, then after my degree and throughout my MA it expanded to include house histories and other archival research for private individuals and businesses.

After my MA I got a job as a historic researcher for a heritage consultancy, and now I'm the director of another heritage consultancy business. It's not a bad sector to go into - there's a fair bit of work about and it's quite well-paid.

She had a high flying career and her pre tv CV included important roles at English Heritage and for the Royal Palaces. She was very young for the senior role at English Heritage. The head of special collections at Cambridge did an equivalent role in the National Trust when he was much older than she was.

I wanted to be an archaeologist when I was little, I didn’t end up with that as a career but I still have a very strong interest in history. Everywhere I go on holiday I research before I go and make plans to visit sites, museums etc that’s something that a child could get involved in. Plan a visit to another city that has a big museum and they all have children’s activities..
Family friendly open digs are great fun as well
PP’s have suggested loads of ideas but also do you have Doors Open Day where you live, lots of buildings including heritage buildings that are not usually open to the public are open for a day / weekend.
A close friend of mine is in a reenactment group with her husband and their toddler and they got to reenactment camps all over the U.K., just going to see them is great if you don’t fancy going the whole hog and joining a group. My friend like a lot of other folks in the group are very knowledgeable about their period and love to chat.
Another friend is a keen amateur local historian who runs historic walks as a sideline alongside her regular job.
But there is history all around, we go on walks round our local March stones for example, and I am working on the history of our house. I previously researched a local historic building as a fund raising tool for the community group using it and did ancestry research for my DH’s family as a gift for him.

Yes I am aware of that – I am not saying that Lucy Worsley is not an academic – certainly she is and a very able and impressive one at that.

That's kind of my point. If as a 10yo you have watched her on TV and thought, I want to do that – the same as if you have watched Lionel Messi or the Blue Peter presenters and had the same thought – you need to be aware how tough the competition is and how few of those roles there are. Lucy Worsley is a very high-flying academic who was indeed very successful very young in her roles due to her ability, drive and personality; these things also got her noticed enough to pull her into the TV spotlight.

I really am not trying to step on anyone's dreams, least of all those of your DD @Priceyyy. I love that she loves history – I love it too, which is why I commented at all. I am sorry that my comments are uninformed and I hope you are able to nurture that love in the many ways suggested by others on this thread. And do support her in her future career choices – all the very best to her.

As usual, op, some posters on here seem to think that if they have no direct experience of something, then it can’t possibly happen!