Parents Lack Confidence to Support Their Child's Career Aspirations

News provided by

22 Aug, 2017, 06:00 GMT

LONDON, August 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Half of British parents worry their understanding of today's career landscape could hinder their child's future

Despite parents being the number one influencer on the career decisions their children make^[¹^], half (50%) worry that their level of understanding of today's ever-changing career landscape could hinder their child's future, according to research released today by EY.

In the week when students receive their GCSE results and contemplate their future, almost two-fifths (37%) of British parents admit they have reservations about discussing career options with their child, worrying they may give the wrong advice.

The survey of 1,500 British parents reveals that 30% fear they don't know enough about the range of jobs that exist today; 29% feel they don't know enough about what their child wants to do; while 25% said they simply don't have the time to talk about career options with their child.

Maggie Stilwell, Managing Partner for Talent at EY, UK & Ireland, said: "Parents are often the first-port of call for children when looking for careers advice, but it seems that many feel ill-equipped to help their child take the vital first step after compulsory education. It's understandable - the world of work is changing rapidly, with the impact of technology, the gig economy, and more new and alternative routes into the workplace than ever before."

The dangers of out-of-date careers advice

When almost three quarters (74%) of British parents believe they didn't receive the guidance they needed themselves to pursue their dream job and the emergence of digital careers perhaps it's not surprising that many parents don't feel confident enough to discuss the full range of career options available.

Almost two-thirds (65%) of parents said they don't feel wholly informed about the alternatives to university for their child - be they apprenticeships, gap years, or starting a business. That's despite 95% of parents feeling that more young people doing apprenticeships straight out of school is a good thing for the UK as a whole.

According to the survey, university is still seen as the sole option for a significant percentage of parents, regardless of the future career their child had chosen. A quarter (25%) of parents admitted 'there was nothing to talk about' when it came to discussing career options with their child, as they were going to university after school - no question.

What parents should know

EY has today launched its 'Parental Advice' campaign in the UK, which aims to help bridge the information gap, arming parents with more information.

Maggie, explained: "As a mother of three, I know how difficult it can be to know and understand the careers options and different routes available - it can feel like the career landscape is changing all the time. That's why we developed EY's Parental Advice campaign; to help better equip parents and fuel the ambitions of the next generation."

EY has launched a new parent centric hub: ukcareers.ey.com/parents designed to provide parents with a bank of useful content and articles with tips and advice on the different options available to children to start their career.

Continuing the conversation

On the hub, parents can also find out about a series of events over the next couple of months to extend the conversation and develop the careers advice British school children receive, as the careers landscape evolves.

Parental Advice Panel Discussion

Date: Tuesday 19th September

Location: The Deck at the Southbank Centre

An intimate and interactive panel with panelists confirmed to date:

Laura-Jane Rawlings, CEO of Youth Employment UK
Jack Parsons, CEO of yourfeed
Flo Barrett, EY Apprentice
Steven Bartlett, CEO of Social Chain
Sarah Beeny, TV presenter and property developer

Check the website for more details and confirmed participants: ukcareers.ey.com/parents

The Parentaship Workshop

Date: Friday 27th October

Location: Central London

An interactive workshop session for parent and child pairs to skill-up on the perfect career for them and how to get there.

Check the website for more details: ukcareers.ey.com/parents

Watch this space for more details.

Please visit ukcareers.ey.com/parents for more information. #parentaladvice

Notes to Editors:

About EY

Findings above are based on a survey carried out by EY in 2017 with 1,500 parents of children aged 13 - 18 in the UK, via GingerComms.

^[¹^] GTI, 2014, 'Parental influence on children's academic and employment choices. The views and observations of parents, students, employers, careers advisers and university outreach, marketing and admissions staff'.

About EY

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organisation and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organisation, please visit ey.com .