What Are the Career Concerns of Today’s Youth?
Choosing the right university and major from thousands of universities, subjects, and career options is the most challenging part for most of us. Today, the options are limitless.
Our kids get stressed out and anxious when they have to choose a career out of the millions of options they have.
The training team at Hope Trust has noticed that most teenagers worry about the following things when they think about their future careers:
- Uncertainty of what the future looks like
According to research, 85 per cent of the jobs that will exist in 2030 have yet to be invented. The child who enters an engineering course this year may need to gain the skills the industry is looking for when they graduate after four years.
Alternatively, this also means that we must prepare our children for jobs that still need to be created and figure out where to start. This could be because of a need for more education on career development. Most schools don’t prepare our children for these careers and new-age skills. This causes significant stress in teenagers when deciding on a possible career path.
- Fear of not finding a career based on their passion
“How can I choose a career when I don’t even know what I want for dinner?”
Only some children necessarily recognise their true passion. Many of them need clarification and have yet to learn what they want. This leads to choosing a career based on more random things, such as family expectations, possible financial success, or trends. The problem with this is that there is always the fear of living an empty and unsatisfying life.
Finding your passion is difficult, as many teens need to learn how to find the intersection where their strengths match their likes and goals.
- Uncertainty about whether their dream career is unrealistic
With the rise of social media, jobs that used to be rare, like being a YouTuber or an Instagram influencer, have become real ways to make money. These careers are aspirational for many today, as they give you creative freedom and complete flexibility. Working in an office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. may be preferable for the majority of people.
With the world at their fingertips, today’s youth are more likely to venture into unheard-of niches that are perfect for them. But when children come home and tell their parents they want to be a fashion designer, animator, or stand-up comedian, the responses may not be positive.
Because these fields are hard to predict, parents may worry about their child’s financial security and place in society. This makes them think about safer options. Children can also feel discouraged and fear being disappointed if they push their parents to let them pursue their choices and don’t ‘make it’.
- Fear of choosing the wrong career path
Students with no work experience opportunities might have unrealistic expectations of their job based on stereotypes from other people or the media.
We live where choosing a career based on passion is encouraged. But this can make them afraid they will find out their passion is not based on reality. Many students need more time to try out all their options and worry that their lives won’t be fulfilling.
- Fear of letting down family members
Many students feel pressured by their parents and society to end up in a well-paying career.
Especially if people want to pursue non-traditional careers that aren’t doctors or engineers, they are afraid of ending up unsuccessful, making their parents and other immediate family members look incompetent in their society.
Teenagers worry a lot about the future because of this fear, along with the fact that they have a lot of choices but no experience.
Where to get support for your kid?
Seeking help from a career counsellor/psychologist can be beneficial. Not only can they best understand and advise on the best options for the youngster’s future, but they can also address any psychological issues that are common in adolescence, such as anxiety, relationships, and stress.
Call 90008 50001 or click www.hopetrustindia.com for an online or in-person appointment with a professional.