Parental influence on career choices the deciding factor for young Brits

• Parents top the list of career decision influencers for 18-24 year olds
• Careers in Engineering (49%), Law (43%) and Finance (43%) top the list for parents’ of 18-24 year olds preferred career choices 
• Young people are three times more likely than parents to find a career in hospitality attractive (42%), going against their parents’ discouragement of the career (14%)

As students across the UK await their GCSE results and prepare to make important decisions about their career paths, research from leading UK hospitality jobs board Caterer.com has revealed parents are the leading influence on their career choices. A fifth (20%) of 18-24 year olds say their parents have the biggest impact on their future job, well above teachers (10%), schools (9%), friends (7%) and social media (3%).

The majority (70%) of parents with children aged 18-24 agree that they are making an impact on which job their child chooses, with roles in engineering (49%), law (43%) and finance (43%) topping the list of career options parents encourage. However, the research reveals parents’ views could be swaying school leavers away from pursuing their passions. Careers in media and marketing (61%), healthcare (60%), performing arts (45%) and hospitality (42%) are high on the desired profession list for young people, placing them at odds with their parents. 

Preferred career choices: Parents v 18-24 year olds

Career misconceptions and parental bias leading to national skills crisis

With a mere 15% of parents wanting their children to have a career in hospitality and a further 14% actively discouraging it, Caterer.com has expressed concerns over the wider impact parental bias is having on the hospitality industry and its ability to attract and retain young talent.

Neil Pattison, Director at Caterer.com said:

“We know that university remains an aspiration of many young people, however the changing labour market means a vocational qualification or specialised experience are just as valuable to employers as a tertiary degree. Whilst our research shows parents are more likely to encourage a future job in finance or law, those getting their GCSE results this week should be keeping their options open when it comes to their career path.

“Parents should be aware of the impact they can have on their child’s decision and ensure they strike the right balance between supporting and intervening. An unconscious bias or misconceptions of an industry can prevent young Brits from pursuing their passions and branching out beyond a traditional career path.

“The skills gap we’re experiencing in hospitality means now is a great time for young people who are proactive, creative and hungry for a long term, successful career to consider joining our industry. With almost half (42%) of young people saying they thought hospitality was an attractive career path, we want others who are unsure about their next steps to consider some of the rewarding options within our industry – all of which offer progression, training and development opportunities.”

CEO at UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, said:

“The new findings highlight an opportunity for hospitality businesses to debunk the misconceptions about our industry to ensure both young talent and their parents know about the vast career options it offers. It is important that we highlight the highly paid and highly skilled workers that have paved a successful career for themselves in kitchens, hotels, and even the high street.

“We would encourage all employers to build relationships with nearby schools, colleges and universities to set up work experience or open days, making sure that as these young people are making fully informed career decisions, and their parents are educated about what a career in hospitality can provide for their children.”

About Caterer.com

Caterer.com are the largest and most effective UK hospitality job board, receiving 2 million visits and over 600,000 job applications each month. Part of Totaljobs Group, they work closely with employers across all sectors of the industry to deliver relevant candidates to meet their recruitment needs www.caterer.com

Research

Caterer.com commissioned research through Opinium to survey:

• 505 UK recent school leavers (aged 18-24) between 25^th March to 1^st April 2019
• 504 UK parents of recent school leavers (aged 18-24) between 25^th March to 1^st April 2019