Your child will need to make decisions at different times and are often unaware of the career planning steps they need to follow to achieve the career they want. This is why it is so important to support them while they start to explore different careers.
Young people are very likely to turn to their parents or carers as a source of career guidance. You could start your careers conversation by chatting with them about the jobs they see other people doing. This could be people they know, that they see on television or pass on the street. Talk to them about your job. You could chat about the different types of job that link to their interests, skills or aspirations.
Many children have unrealistic goals, saying that they want to be a top footballer, influencer or simply 'being rich'. We know that some people do actually achieve these so we shouldn't just simply dismiss them but should encourage them while at the same time getting them to think of more realistic goals. It is very important that parents/carers:
• listen and not judge.
• be open to ideas and encourage them to explore all options.
• remember that your child isn't you. They may want to follow the same path as you but equally they may want to go in a different direction. Their choices and decisions should be based on their aspirations and abilities and not on someone elses.
Remind them that all types of work are needed and discuss how school subjects relate to careers. Help them to discover what they like to do and what they do well by talking to them about their talents and strengths.
Your childs school or college will do their very best to help them make good choices. Ask them if they have had a careers interview. Sit down with your child and look through any information that they have been given. Offer your support. by taking them to open days and helping them complete application forms for courses or apprenticeships.
Some know exactly which career they want to aim for, but a large number don't know what they want to do, which is quite normal. Even some of those who know what they would like to do change their mind as they get older. They could do a careers quiz which would suggest areas of interest based on their answers. This could be a useful stating point to talk about, though it is important to remember that these are only suggestions and not routes they have to follow. Once your child has some ideas of what they would like to do, help, and encourage them to do some research looking at what is needed to work in that area They will need to think of the pros and cons of different options making a decision using the information they have.
Have a look at local and national labour market information to find out which jobs there are in your local area and whether the need for it is growing or declining. This can help your child when they are making decisions.
Taking part in work experience is a great way to find out if the career they're interested in is one they still want to pursue. They may find that it rules out a particular career; either way it has been a successful experience. It is therefore very important that you support them in finding a placement that will help them experience a career they are considering.
It is very important to recognise that the world of work is very different now and very few people stay in the same job for all of their working life. Throughout their career they will be gaining skills that can be used across a wide variety of jobs. A previous post talks about the different types of skills https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/127-hard-and-soft-skills
There are many different resources that you can use, some of which you will find on your childs school or college careers section of their website. Here are some useful ones.
General help
https://careermap.co.uk/careermag-parents-carers-guardians/
https://www.talkingfutures.org.uk/
Job search and quiz.
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers
https://careersquiz.complete-careers.com/
Apprenticeships
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/115-parent-and-carers-support-pack
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/22-what-is-an-apprenticeship
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/23-what-can-i-do-an-apprenticeship-in
Labour Market Information
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/12-latest-labour-market-information
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/97-how-has-your-high-street-changed-since-2020
https://kent.startprofile.com/page/home-page
T Levels
https://nsfgcareersboard.online/public/d/15-what-are-t-levels
https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/
