I was recently invited onto BBC Breakfast to discuss the results of a BBC survey on the jobs that young people aspire to. [Click here to see the results.] The findings closely mirrored my own experiences speaking to young people in schools—it came as no surprise that the top jobs listed were those young people are already familiar with.
However, I was keen to explain to the hosts that these are just 10 out of approximately 30,000 job titles in the UK. In other words, these are jobs from a very short list—the ones young people actually know about.
Young people tend to be aware of jobs for a few common reasons:
- Their parents or friends do the job
- They see people in their local community doing the job
- They see the job represented in the media
But this is only scratching the surface. There are thousands of other career paths. And not only that—work is changing fast, especially with advances in technology. The job they may be doing 10 years from now might not even exist yet. And some of today’s top 10 may look entirely different in the future.
So, what should young people be thinking about when considering their future career?
Firstly, it’s not essential to focus on specific job titles in your mid-teens. The key is developing a strong awareness of your own:
- Skills
- Qualities
- Life experiences
- Interests
The better you know yourself, the easier it is to take meaningful next steps.
Secondly, stay curious about the world of work. Ask questions like:
- How is the world of work changing?
- What are the future needs of society and the economy?
These are great topics to explore during work experience or informal conversations with professionals.
Thirdly, if young people can reflect on and answer the following questions, they’ll be well on their way to identifying a fulfilling and meaningful career:
- What do I care about enough to want to make a difference?
- What problems would I love to help solve?
- How would I like to make people’s lives easier or better through my work?
- When someone says "thank you" for something I’ve done, what reason would bring me the most satisfaction?
The good news is that many of the jobs young people aspire to are in high demand here in the UK. But it’s important to keep an open mind, explore a wide range of possibilities, and stay flexible over the next few years.