Careers Advice - Parents

As a parent/carer, you are one of the most influential people in your child’s life and in the best possible position to support your child as they consider their future, review their options and make choices. Research shows that children look to their parents/carers first when they want career advice.  Whilst some young people have a very clear idea of where they see their pathway leading them, others may take a while to decide – you can help by:

Starting the conversation

• Focus on skills and behaviour your child will need, rather than specific jobs.
• Talk about goals and what your child finds fulfilling.
• Be open-minded and encouraging.
• Talk about what career experiences your child has had at school (lessons, visits, tutor time, citizenship and assemblies).
• Be patient as your child’s choices may change.
• Remember it’s your child’s decision on what direction they want to go.

We realise it can be challenging to know how to ask the right questions, so here are our Top Five Tips to get started:

1. Start with their interests, skills, abilities and values – get them to write them down
2. Talk about their likes and dislikes of different school subjects
3. Encourage them to link their skills and interests by using the National Careers Service Skills Assessment 
4. Identify 3 different jobs they may like to explore using the National Careers Service Job Profiles
5. Share your own experiences and talk about your own job or career and those of the wider family. There are many organisations that offer advice and support to parents at various stages of their child’s career pathway from choosing options in Year 8 or 9, to post 16 choices, university, apprenticeships and funding support.

Useful Links for Parents

• Parent Adviser – Website offering advice and guidance to help you to support your child with choosing a course, university, apprenticeship, gap year and finances
• Success at School – Parents Advice Pages
• Career Alchemy – Parents and Teens Pages
• Career Pilot Parent Zone can give lots of information about choices at 14, 16 and 18, along with FE, HE, Apprenticeships, Funding and Support
• UCAS –  Undergraduate Advice for Parents & Guardians
• Target Careers 2022 – Paths to Professional Careers: A Parents Guide
• My World of Work helps to explore over 600 job profiles
• Parental Guidance from the Careers Writers Association gives advice and information needed to support young people during their transition to adult working life
• Amazing Apprenticeships Parents Zone
• The National Apprenticeship Service – Support for Parents and Carers