What career for Dd?

[PinkChaires]

Dd currently researching careers as just finished y11 and needs to pick A Levels. Feeling uninspired. She wanted to do med but current state of the profession puts her off massively. Doesn't want to do engineering ( except possibly biomedical) or tech. Maths isn't her strongest (still 7/8s at gcse). She wants a stimulating, high paying and fulfilling career. Any ideas?

Although she also loves history as well.

Although it's important to start thinking about career options, if there isn't one that stands out or that she's really passionate about then the best way forward is to choose subjects that she is good at and enjoys. As she studies these subjects at a higher level career options may become clearer. Consider, also, what her interests are outside of school, is there a hobby or interest that might lead to a career? Are there any political or charitable causes that she's passionate about that might lead to a career? Careers don't always have to come from academic study.

Stimulating, high-paying, fulfilling career is most people's goal. Sitting at a desk staring at a screen is very few people's goal. That's not much to rule anything in or out.

"She wanted to do med but current state of the profession puts her off massively"
I feel that if she was genuinely passionate about medicine then the state of the profession wouldn't put her off. If it was a vocation she'd want to pursue it anyway. But aside, she could opt to work in private healthcare, or she could work somewhere overseas with a more thriving healthcare system.

You say maths isn't her strong subject so I'd just drop it. And you say she enjoys bio, chem, psychology, and that she loves history. Could she manage four subjects at a level? That seems like a great combination of four subjects that could keep a lot of career options open later.

I studied three a level subjects, then I did a degree in a subject that wasn't available at a level, then I had a successful 20-year career in an industry unrelated to any of the subjects, then age early 40s I changed careers and I'm doing extremely well self-employed doing something else. Career paths don't need to be set.

If she doesn't want to work in an office, what is her understanding of the world of work? I'm old enough to have been filtered at school by typist vs other roles. The working world has moved on since then. Most jobs now - even medicine - involve large chunks of screen time.

If she really doesn't want that and still wants a good income she needs to consider a trade.

Post 16 she should look at the A levels/BTECs that Interest her and see where that leads.

Dentistry

She wouldn't mind some days (eg once or twice a week) in office but not all the time. She would like 'everyday to not be the same' . I am encouraging a part time job so she has a better understanding of work but seems to be impossible for teens to get a job in my area

What would she class as 'fulfilling'?
Does she mean morally - like working in the field of Meds would be helping people? Or fulfilling other ambitions, like a job which includes travel?

International or travelling sales jobs would mean she's not at a desk all the time and are quite lucrative if you are passionate about what you're selling

If she is very money focused, she could also look into aiming for a Degree Apprenticeship in something like Surveying. That way she works and studies at the same time, gets paid a salary and they pay for her degree
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeships?SearchField=JobTitle&Keywords=surveyor&Location=london&WithinDistance=0&ApprenticeshipLevel=Degree&DisabilityConfidentOnly=false&Latitude=&Longitude=&Hash=0&SearchMode=Keyword&Category=&LocationType=NonNational&

At this stage if she doesn't have a specific career in mind I would pick favourite subjects that "go" together, that will lead to a degree she is interested in, lots of people don't know what they want to do specifically until they finish uni. Myself included, I did biological sciences and then did a PhD and now work for a medical manufacturing company.
I did Biology & Chemistry A levels because they were my favourite/best 2 subjects and then did physics too because it fits and I was also not keen on maths.

Also if she likes biology and psychology she should research being a clinical psychologist, I know someone who does this and it's good pay and rewarding- there are opportunities within or outside the NHS

Just those three together was a common combination at my school as well (I went for the more eclectic Biology, German and Economics), but with the current Physics syllabus, the advice seems to be that it is likely to be harder to do well without A level Maths alongside - some sixth forms won't allow Physics to be taken without Maths, I believe.

https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/roles/roles-finder/medical-and-medical-support/medical-officer

https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/roles/roles-finder/medical-and-medical-support/nursing-officer

Worth thinking about - she could potentially get a bursary…

My daughter is similar.. her plan is business, politics,economics because they look interesting then maybe business or accountancy degrees as lots of opportunities with that path

Maybe banking, corporates possibly. It is high paid and it is office based but very out and about meeting clients, industry events etc so maybe half in office, half out and about and every day tends to be different, always things happening in economy, stock market, regulations, industry. Accountancy would be one route that could shift to that and give high pay. Both are hard work though but generally high pay will mean high workloads. Though I don't think she needs a definite path yet just choose A levels she enjoys. Maths is useful though.

If she's not keen on maths at A-level, then it is unlikely she's going to want to take the sort of degree that requires it anyway.

To be honest, the best thing she can do is pick three A-level subjects she likes the most and will do well at. Not everyone knows what career they want when they're only 16, and in the next two years she will change a lot anyway. There's no point in her doing an A-level in a subject she doesn't much like as she won't enjoy it, and probably won't get a great mark anyway.

I would echo what others have said. If you don't enjoy maths, maybe a science career is not the best choice.
I think let her pick the subjects she enjoys the most and aim for a good quality degree. This in itself will open many doors and, if your daughter discovers a passion later down the line, there are plenty of masters/conversion courses available.
One of my sons was similar and now has a very high status/high pay career in the civil service but that absolutely wasn't his original aim. He worked his socks off attack everything's he attempted and that is where it eventually led him.

At everything

@PinkChaires My DD is a barrister and doesn’t have a law degree. Very many don’t. So this frees up A level and degree choices. An academic degree from a good uni is vital - history is good. After that dc do the law conversion course. Her days are a variety of Chambers, WFH and Court. Different clients and different cases. DD does family and getting on with people and advocating for them is what matters but you have to go through the hoops to get there. Apart from Criminal, barristers do make money.

We know lots of surveyors and they enjoy their work. Most don’t get bumper pay though. There’s work like construction management and planning that might interest her. They are jobs with variety.

Just as an aside, the best financial return from a uni course is being a doctor. That’s research from the IFS. Unlike lawyers, only people who study medicine are doctors. Law is open to nearly everyone. Ditto accountancy.

Regarding work - think about volunteering. There’s always volunteers needed somewhere!

We know lots of surveyors and they enjoy their work. Most don’t get bumper pay though. There’s work like construction management and planning that might interest her. They are jobs with variety.

In a big firm, the salaries can be very good - I left on close to 6 figures, 15 years ago, after only 8 years in practice - several of my colleagues are now on £200k+ and if you retain your qualifications (I didn't), you can pick up work around a young family, so it's very good from that perspective. It is also an internationally recognised qualification so you can work around the world. Surveying is a very wide reaching profession - if you are in consulting or investment, then it is lucrative. Things like mortgage or residential surveys, not so much.

To be honest, for medicine definitely it law probably you actually have to positively want to do it! They aren't default careers.

Why does she have to choose now?

@Panicmode1 Most don’t get that level of money, definitely not. Like most careers, eg law, there’s the £ million at the top and £30,000 at the bottom.

Of course, but as I said, in a big (London) firm/regional large partnership, it is lucrative....of the very many that I know and work with, I don't know many who aren't earning well/significantly above the national average.

In a similar vein, I'm always told barristers aren't well paid, but I don't know any that don't have privately educated children....😉. Or maybe they are the criminal barristers....

The issues with medicine and Law is that both are insanely competitive, low paid and very hard work in the early years and it can be a bit of a slog to reach what most would consider 'highly paid'.
There are lots of professions allied to medicine which are very interesting, psychology, Occupational Therapy, Radiology, Physiotherapy but sadly most would not be considered highly paid.
Not doing Maths will not close many doors as the majority of university courses which require Maths are likely to be Maths content heavy, which if she is not keen on A level might be a step too far in a degree.
I think at 16 or 17 it's really hard to have a good view on what sort of careers there are - as a pp said, civil service posts are very varied and have good career progression. Similarly consulting (though office based). Environmental health? Forensics?
I would agree about the advice to do A levels she loves and is likely to get good grades for and carry on with research. My niece was very split at the same age and ended up doing Maths Physics French and Italian A levels, ended up deciding to study languages at University and is now in the Civil Service

Pharmacy?

@Panicmode1 Criminal barristers at the lower junior end aren’t paid well. They are self employed. Chambers reputation matters and so does area of law. It matters a lot!

Physiotherapy
Optometry
Radiography

You don't have to study a vocational degree to have a career, do a subject you find interesting and then get a graduate training post after your degree. It will expose you to all sorts of options and avenues