Careers advice during teenage years

[Amysmith78]

Hi everyone,

I had a few questions about your experience with careers advice for your teenagers.

The questions are:

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?
2. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?
3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?
4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)
5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).

In case you are wondering the context of these questions, here is the pretext...

A few of us in our early 20s are currently working on a social enterprise project. The purpose of this project is to inform secondary school students (and their parents) about careers. The choices students make at GCSE and A Level decide what degree they can apply for and ultimately what career they do. Hence, we want to increase awareness of different career options earlier in people's lives.

The purpose of the questions above is to really understand what knowledge is currently shared and exactly how we could help in increasing awareness.

We really appreciate your help with this!

Thanks,
Amy

Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?
Yes, not a huge amount and entirely school based unlike a lot of schools who attended career fairs and events.

If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?

My child has through a series of experience days and visits from professionals at school. Nothing directed at parents at all.

Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?

No, we looked at the subjects they enjoyed most at GCSE/A Level and looked for careers that fit with those subjects. Lifes too short to do a job you dont enjoy.

Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)

No, they tell the school what theyre considering career wise and the school help them find local companies (most have previously completed DBS checks) they can approach about work experience. Parents have no say as the school insists on approving all businesses.

How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow?

Based on subjects and interests they enjoy. I have had no influence over their career choices. Its their life and not mine. Non of the career paths taken are careers I would ever have encouraged.

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?

NO

1. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?

N/A

1. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?

DD knew what she was interested in / good at so subject choices were quite straight forward. We did look up entry requirements for the degree she wanted to do.

1. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)

School helped arrange this

1. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).

It's been DD's choice, her life, her decision I'm just support when required

ha! My eldest teen didn't want university but did get careers advice.

My relevant Teens are 15 & 17. State schools.

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university? (who from)

NA for kid1 since no Uni. Kid2 (who wants uni) is getting deluged with advice from everyone, especially from someone at her school who coordinates WE & has had 3 of own kids go to medical school. Looks like the 6th form college will do similar.

3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?

Yes, both kids for GCSEs, Kid1 obviously refused A-levels.

4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)

Kid1: didn't have own initiative so I merely moaned; Kid2: yes I helped, emailed friend to nudge her colleague to reply to an email, helped DD compose emails, helped her make lists of contacts. Only my nudge produced results.

5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow?

I listen & talk thru the options with them. Help them see clearly what they want to do so that they made informed decisions.

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?
No
2. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?
N/A
3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?
As PP, DCs looked at what they were interested/good at and that determined what their choices would be. We gave advice as and when.

4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)
For DD1 I was able to arrange work experience with my then employer. DS had work experience arranged by his college. DD2 is hoping to get some work experience arranged through school. The DCs have all been fortunate that their work experience has been highly relevant to their career interests.
5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).
We discuss different careers, help with research, talk about courses.

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university? Me - no. dc - some. Internally at school. They arrange quite a few speakers and outside companies to come in and they do various 'quizzes' and profiles to get them to consider different career routes.
2. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from? oops! See above
3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels? Have done some... a careers fair, some chat on MN , some internet searches.
4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?) A little, mainly some suggestions, then nagging to get it done. dc1 - I asked someone who we knew worked there if there was a particular person ds should send his request letter to. dc1, no, she did it herself through a hobby she does. dc3, my dh went along to the department that arrange w.e. where he works, to find out how she could request a placement.
5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry). Well no, it's not my career. I've talked with them, and helped them look beyond what was obvious and apparent to them, but obviously it is their decision.

Why do you assume that careers advice at school is related only to university choice? Careers advice is equally if not more important for those who wont be going to uni. But to answer your questions:

The questions are:

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?

Yes.

1. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?

Interviews with careers teacher (specialist), careers fairs, some careers lessons from non specialist Citizenship/PSHE teacher.

1. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?

1 ds with a clear idea what he wanted to do did, the other had no idea and chose subjects that would be useful

1. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)

Yes. Helped draft letters and emails and moral support - then lifts to placements.

1. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).

Absolutely not. Both would do the opposite of what I decide anyway! One wants to do medicine and I am very doubtful that this is a good idea but neither take any notice of me.

The questions are:
1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?
Yes

2. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?

careers fairs, sessions with careers teachers; also eldest dd very involved in subject specific online groups advising each other

3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?

To some extent

4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)

No, school was very clear that finding and arranging your own work experience was an important part of the learning process, and I actually felt ds learnt more from this than from the actual placement.

5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).

I haven't. They have. Eldest is doing vocational training in acting. Youngest is hoping to join police. I have helped by talking through career options and ways of getting there.

1. Have you and your child received any careers advice before they went to university?
Ish

2. If so, what did this consist of and who was it from?
careers fairs (i.e. HE fair), some online personality test type things (fast tomato) though you do get a bit fed up when they always conclude "be a teacher!"

3. Did you and your child first research career paths and work backwards to select GCSEs and A Levels?
No. GCSEs were a broad-education/Ebacc selection - purposely not too narrowing. A Levels were according to preferences and tastes, constrained by the school's timetabling logistics.

4. Did you help your child arrange work experience? (If so, how did you arrange this?)
Networking. DD did her own, DH & I sorted out DS's. This is because DD had a career plan and DS didn't.

5. How have you made decisions on the career paths your child should follow? (Especially where they are following a route to take a vocational course at university such as medicine or dentistry).
ROFL, I didn't get a say. I might be allowed to make helpful comments from the sidelines but that's it.

My DD is too young yet to need careers advice, but I offer careers advice through various sources.
I feel there is a huge regional variation, but in my area there is large employer engagement with secondary schools to illustrate options.
In the last year I have been involved in careers fairs open to all the local secondaries illustrating a wide range of careers, I have been involved in specialist events promoting all levels of apprenticeships including higher apprenticeships and I am a STEM champion going into local schools and talking in particular about STEM careers.
One of my thoughts is that as a 40 something year old I have a lot of experience to bring to these events and the ability to cope with the fair few cheeky teenagers you will also encounter in the role. There are local schools who I do not go into, those schools have no one in and feel that they are providing adequate careers advice to their pupils.
I applaud you looking to encourage pupils to have a wider view of careers, but would encourage you to try and work with the agencies that already exist. If there is a lack in a particular area it is probably due to the fact that the schools are resistant.