Parents need lessons on post-school decisions for kids

Wednesday 09 April 2014

They might be the ones footing the bill, but almost 50% of parents surveyed say they don’t fully understand the options available to their children after A-levels and more than half don’t know the long-term implications of the choices their children make.

The research was carried out by accountancy firm EY who say Jersey businesses could be doing more to support parents, careers teachers and students to help them make better informed decisions about what to do after leaving school or university.

EY’s Executive Director Julie Bisson said: “It is clear from the survey that many parents do not feel armed with all the information they need. There is a lack of awareness around the career options that exist after A-levels, when to apply for a trainee position and the value of work experience. As employers in Jersey, it’s vital that we help to bridge that awareness gap, to ensure parents, schools and students are equipped with the detail they need to reach an informed decision.

“The schools, careers teachers and Careers Jersey work hard to inform parents and students about the variety of options they face but we recognise that businesses could be doing more to assist in this process. Apprenticeships have traditionally been associated with skilled trades, and it is only fairly recently that we have seen other industries, including professional services; start to actively promote these career routes as genuine alternatives to university.

“Businesses recognise that school-leavers and graduates both bring fresh and diverse perspectives and that training programs are a great way of nurturing talent in-house.”

EY’s research also revealed that 42% of school leavers discuss their future careers options with their parents first, 26% choose to research what’s on offer online and 17% turn to careers advisors for help.

You can find out more about a career in accountancy or tax at EY’s open evening tomorrow, which is being held in their offices in Castle Street from 5-7pm.