Just over a quarter of Brits leave Secondary school without any kind of career advice…that is according to a new study of over 2000 adults.
This has led to a whole generation of school leavers who are unsure of the career path that is right for them, with many deciding to stay in higher education rather than joining the workforce.
It might also be part of the explanation why so many people are now joining the ranks of freelancers, gig workers and contractors, because instead of going right into a career, they now take the time to explore different options before finally deciding that working for themselves is the best way forward.
The study also went on to give us some more interesting statistics, such as:
29% of workers are considering a career change soon, with self employment being high on their list of options.
Only 10% of those surveyed believed the career advice they did get in school was impartial, with many having the opinion that teachers and other staff were biased towards certain professions.
30% did know the career they wanted to pursue when leaving school, although many do change their mind after a few years in the workforce…with freelancing and contracting being good alternatives once they become dissatisfied with their boss.
A further 45% mentioned that teachers were often pushy towards getting students to go towards a career that required a university education, despite the fact that university fees have become way more expensive in recent years. This has led some people to wonder if teachers get a commission for recommending this path.
42% also said that parents were supportive of their career path, even if they decided to change course after a few years and go into something else like self employment.
My opinion on all of this is that career advice in schools is going to become less and less relevant, as students decide to educate themselves on what career path to pursue.
Thanks to the internet, it’s now possible to research potential careers and university courses by themselves, rather than having a teacher giving the information.
Also, I think we are going to be seeing more people wait longer until they make a decision about their career.
Years ago, you were expected to know exactly what path to take by the age of 18. These days, people are waiting longer, with many deciding to go travelling and experience the world before making a decision
It’s not uncommon for a 25 year old to still be considering career options, with freelancing, gig working, and contracting being popular options once they do decide to enter the workforce.
