NEW research reveals as many as 62% of youngsters in the North West say they are inspired by careers they see portrayed in TV shows.
Favourites such as Great British Bake Off, Grey’s Anatomy and Stranger Things all feature in the top 10 for 14 – 19 year olds when it comes to inspiring their career choices and piquing their interest in the career pathways available to them – just like Dylan Bamber, a paramedicine degree apprentice with the North West Ambulance Service in Warrington.
His inspiration for choosing a career path as a paramedic was watching Ambulance and 999 On The Frontline.
It comes as more than half of parents in the North West surveyed as part of the research admit to putting off bigger life conversations with their teen if the moment wasn’t right.
However, it seems that the inspiration created by what is ‘on the box’ and this more relaxed setting could help as 28% of parents admit to taking the opportunity to cover more serious topics whilst gathering on the sofa together with their teens and watching their favourite TV shows.
It may not be the most obvious setting for such topics, however, it could be the most fitting, because both parents and teens alike believe watching TV together helps them feel most connected. What’s more, the ‘Gogglebox effect’, in which people talk about what they are watching, will likely prompt more conversations around careers and the many routes in, as inspirational jobs are portrayed on the screen.
As the winter months are likely to bring more collective TV time, the Department for Education’s Skills for Life campaign is encouraging parents and teens to make the most of time already spent together watching their favourite shows, to take this inspiration and strike up conversations about the full range of education and training choices, including the technical pathways on offer such as T Levels, apprenticeships and Higher Technical Qualifications.
Advocating for the campaign, Young MasterChef judge and Michelin-trained chef, Poppy O’Toole, comments, “I wish I knew about the many different education and training routes available to me when I was younger. After receiving a D in my food technology A level, I almost gave up on my dream of being a chef. But I’m so glad I didn’t! Fast forward a few years and I’m now Michelin-trained and living out my dream career. It just goes to show the importance of finding the best option for you and exploring some of the less traditional routes to getting the skills you need.
I love the idea that my story, and involvement in shows such as Young MasterChef, might inspire others to explore careers they may have otherwise thought were off the table for them.”
The top 10 TV shows that have inspired teenagers with interesting takes on a career path include:
1. The Great British Bake Off
2. Grey’s Anatomy
3. MasterChef
4. The Big Bang Theory
5. Stranger Things
6. Suits
7. Life on our Planet
8. Glow Up
9. The Repair Shop
10. Last of Us
As many as 1 in 3 teenagers surveyed in the North West wish their parents would broach the subject of education, training and work choices more than they do. However whilst watching shows like these may create the perfect setting, the research identified an additional barrier for parents.
More than a third of parents surveyed feel they do not know enough to start a useful discussion about such a topic with nearly three in five claiming they would like to understand more about the routes available.
Addressing this point, careers adviser Hannah Grabham from National Careers Service says, “When it comes to careers and understanding of post-16 and post-18 education routes, parents are not expected to have all the answers. What’s most important is to be open to exploring all available routes, including those that may feel unfamiliar, in order to find the route that will best enable their child to succeed.
“Technical education and training pathways, such as T Levels, apprenticeships and Higher Technical Qualifications, for example, may feel less familiar than other academic routes. However these courses offer great experience in their chosen sector. I’d recommend visiting the Get the Jump webpage, which is a fantastic resource for exploring education and training options that offer a great alternative to more traditional academic routes. Or, if you’d like to speak with someone directly, you can speak with a National Careers Service adviser free of charge.”
The Department for Education’s Skills for Life campaign helps young people aged 14-19, and their parents, explore their education and training choices including T Levels, apprenticeships and Higher Technical Qualifications. To speak with someone from the National Careers Service, visit here.
Dylan, 21, a paramedicine degree apprentice with the North West Ambulance Service in Warrington, said: “I’m currently training to be become a Paramedic with the North West Ambulance Service via a degree apprenticeship. I also have two apprenticeships under my belt, having completed the first at 16 years old and my second at 19 years old.
“I’ve always been passionate about helping people and knew from a young age I wanted to work with the ambulance service, having done lots of first aid during my time in the Cadets. For me, being able to earn on the job, alongside studying, was so appealing. I did originally apply to university, but I knew that this route would be the right path for me.
“I’d encourage young people to think outside the box when it comes to their next steps, taking inspiration from everywhere, including their favourite TV shows, and considering whether they could imagine doing a job like that. There are so many pathways to take now, such as an apprenticeship, it might be just the route for you!”
