Exploring Careers Together

Discuss the options

Have a chat with your son or daughter about jobs they’re interested in and what they might want to do after they graduate. Consider their strengths at school, hobbies and interests at home, personality and any work experience they’ve had so far.

Teenagers may not know exactly what career path they want to pursue after school, but they often have a good idea of what they DON’T want to do and the sort of tasks they enjoy doing now. As a parent with experience in the workforce, you might be able to suggest factors other than job duties that can help them narrow the field. Is salary important to them? What hours would they prefer to work? Outdoors or indoors? Would they mind wearing a uniform? Do they like working under pressure? Share your own work story, why you chose the paths you have and any mistakes you’ve made.

Research

Using the course and institution information on this website, investigate the pathways leading to the occupations they’re interested in and the various education institutions that offer those courses. Resources explaining the ins and outs of different occupations and a list of jobs related to particular strengths or interests are available here .

Remember that research can be hands-on too. Watching a documentary or reading about a prominent figure in the field can be just as enlightening as dry university handouts. If they’re thinking about law, for example, you could take a trip to the courts to see the profession in action. If it’s a practical discipline such as fashion design, computer programming or carpentry, think about what equipment they need to experiment at home.

Support their dreams

Whatever obscure or out-there occupation your teenager can conceive of, someone, somewhere, is making a living out of it. Let your teenager pursue their passions and see where they lead, while there’s still plenty of time to change direction. Students who respond to parental pressure and choose a course they’re not interested in may end up dropping out or graduating without any desire to work in the field, with several years wasted and a sizeable HELP debt to pay off.

Now is also the time to ask the ‘boring’ parent questions — Will the course they need be difficult to get into? Are there few jobs in the field? Have they considered the less glamorous parts of the job? Medicine may be prestigious, but it’s a poor choice for the squeamish, just as social work is not ideal for those who hate dealing with people. You should find all the information you need about different fields in our University Ratings and Fields of Study sections. Encourage your son or daughter to aim for their goals, but help them work out a back-up plan and consider alternative courses or occupations they might also enjoy.

Go to an open day together

During August and September universities and VET providers open their campuses to prospective students. Open days involve free food, entertainment and a chance for visitors to talk to teachers and current students about courses they’re interested in. Make sure you ask questions and fill up the free show bags with brochures and course information to look over later at home. See University Open Days for more information.

Many TAFEs also run ‘taster’ sessions where high school students can sample classes in areas such as automotive studies, construction, horticulture and floristry. These hands-on sessions are a good introduction to the VET teaching style and a chance for young people to assess their aptitude and enthusiasm for a range of vocational subjects.

Talk to the experts

Who better to explain what it’s like to work in the finance industry than a real life accountant or stockbroker? Chances are you know a lot more people in the workforce than the average school student, so this is a great time to put your networks to use. If your daughter is interested in becoming an auto mechanic, for example, see if your friend’s husband with the car repair shop can spare half an hour to talk to her about his work and the industry. Most people are only too happy to talk about themselves with an interested audience and this is a great time to find out what they like the most (and the least!) about their job, how they got their start in the industry and what qualities they’d look for in a new graduate.

Organise a road test

Most students will have the opportunity to try out at least one career through school organised work experience. Time in the workplace can open students’ eyes to the realities of the job — who knew fire fighting involved so much sitting around? Or that IT could be so creative? — and motivate them to work harder towards their goals. If your child is interested in several different areas or did not like their first pick, you might enquire whether additional work experience can be organised during the holidays. Alternatively, keep an eye out for part time or volunteer work opportunities related to their interests.

Choosing subjects in the area(s) they’re interested in is another great way of gauging how much they’ll enjoy studying or working in the field, and may be required for entry into related courses. Some VET subjects will even give credit towards their next qualification, if they decide to continue with that field.

Don’t panic!

The final years of high school can be a stressful time for students and parents. Plenty of students finish school still unsure about their future career direction and others are unable to get into the course they wanted. Let your son or daughter know you’ll be proud of them whatever path they choose and that there will be plenty of opportunities to change direction in the future. If you’re still feeling anxious, see our Frequently Asked Questions section for responses to some common parental concerns.

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