Information for parents and carers

Parents and carers can have a direct or indirect influence on the career choices and life decisions a young person makes.

If you’re a parent or carer, there are some key aspects to consider:

The advice you provide

Is the information you’re sharing well researched, up-to-date, an area you understand?

Knowing your limitations 

Are you seeking additional views and insights from experts or impartial careers advisors?

An appropriate level of involvement

Is there a difference between what the individual wants to do and what you want for them?

It’s admirable to show an interest and get involved, but ensure the young person is able to express their views and opinions.

There are many approaches parents and carers can adopt to help a young person get started.

Assessing the following can help young people determine what direction they wish to go in:

Interests

What interests do they have? (from a work or study perspective)

What are their favourite subjects?

What interests them in their free time?

Do they lend themselves to any particular subjects and jobs?

Strengths 

What are the things they are best at?

What do other people think they are good at?

Ambition 

What do they want to achieve from their studies and in their career?

Inspiration 

What type of work or career would inspire them?

Recent trends suggest that career and role changes are more common present-day than in the past. Therefore it is useful to have both a main plan and a back-up plan. Work experience, placements and volunteering can all offer some exposure and experience about what different types of work are like.

Labour Market Information (LMI) can provide useful insights to show what employment exists in different geographic areas. It allows you to find out about different jobs, which sectors are growing and declining and future projections. When it comes to picking a career, knowing the context helps understand relevance, longevity future planning, expected salaries/hours etc.

https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/explore_lmi

Other useful links:

Parent adviser

http://www.parentadviser.co.uk/advice-for-parents/the-key-influencer-you.aspx

icould information for parents

https://icould.com/information-for-parents

UCAS university information for parents

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/ucas-undergraduate-advice-parents-and-guardians