What was clear is that the types of jobs 7-11 year olds are choosing are similar to those of 17-18 year olds – with the top choices being culture, media and sport occupations. The narrow spectrum of aspirations is particularly worrying since Education and Employers’ previous research has shown that there is statistically “nothing in common” between teenagers’ career ambitions and projected labour market demand. The issue is one of narrow aspirations that often do not match up with their knowledge and expectations of the level of education needed.
Throughout their teenage years, young people have to make important decisions relevant to their working lives, whether choosing subjects to study at 14 or staying in education – and what and where they study – at 16 or 18. Yet typically, they know little about the breadth of job opportunities and career routes available, leading them to make uninformed decisions that often have financial and social implications. For example, research has shown that teenagers who underestimate the qualifications needed for their desired profession are more likely to be unemployed in their early 20s.