Knowing how best to say it

[paulkal]

I have a nephew who is 16 and undecided about what he wants to do as a career when he leaves school. He definitely does not want to stay on after GCSEs and has thought about retail work but not completely sure that it is right for him. He's neither arts subject oriented or particularly scientific, a bit of an all rounder when it comes to his performance in his subjects but not aware enough of how to use the skills he has in a job. I have tried to advise him but feel to emotionally involved to be able to have any real impact on his decision-making. Has anyone had any similar issues with their children of that age and, if so, how did you support them?

If you are in the UK he has to stay in some sort of education or training now after GCSE's. There should be some careers guidance available at school. Can you gently steer him in that direction?

I would also be encouraging him to look at courses that keep his options open, so he can decide what he wants to do a bit later. I feel your pain. DSS is 17, and doesn't really seem to know what he wants to do. The trouble is we can't make their decisions for them, and it is tough at that age to make a such a massive decision.

Thanks for your reply. He won't like the idea of staying in some sort of education after school but I guess he'll learn to accept that. There is very minimal careers guidance where he goes to school, so I would be reluctant to ask him to seek that sort of advice.

Are there organisations outside of school that you can think of that might be able to help? I take on board entirely when you say that we can't make decisions for them but I would like to influence him to think for himself as much as possible at this stage so that he doesn't sink into dispondency and view career choice as an onerous task.