HELP YOUR TEENS PLAN THEIR FUTURE

Helping your child decide what to do after school and getting them there is key to launching them into a fulfilling future.

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Guiding your child in choosing a career that will allow them to become not only independent, but their best self, is top of most parents’ minds. But our hopes are often clouded with fear, given South Africa’s rising youth unemployment rate – which now stands at 50.4% and has left 4.7 million of those aged under 34 without a job, according to Statistics SA.

Start by talking about careers with your child. “The earlier the better,” says Johannesburg-based life, career and business coach Penny Holburn. They need to take subjects in Grade 10 that will allow them entry to studies for the career they want.

“So as soon as they get into high school, start having general discussions around the different types of careers that exist,” says Penny. “At that age, children can start understanding their strengths and interests as well. I’d also talk about entrance requirements for tertiary study. I have too many clients who went for Maths Lit because it was easy and so are excluded from careers they like.”

As they approach matric, also discuss your child’s marks in subjects key to their potential career path, and chat with their teachers. Could extra tuition help? “I have many clients who do extra maths classes – if you need it for later studies, then do it,” Penny says.

Check that your child has a realistic understanding of what their career choice entails. Youngsters are often swayed by glamorised depictions in movies or on TV, such as seen in medical and police dramas or sagas of fairy-tale success in the performing arts. Encourage your child to research the professions that interest them online and, if they can, to speak with people actively involved in them. Use any contacts you may have or help them reach out to companies or professional bodies, requesting a job-shadowing visit or online chat.

THE WORST MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE IS TO PRESSURE YOUR CHILD TO REALISE YOUR OWN UNFULFILLED AMBITIONS.

Many children have no clear idea of what they’d like to do. “There are a lot of options out there and new careers are appearing and others are disappearing. Most people I see have no idea what they want to do.”

Professional career advice and psychometric testing are invaluable in identifying a child’s passions, personality type and aptitudes, their strengths and weaknesses, and directing them towards fields of study and work where they would best fit and grow.

An educational psychologist or a careers counsellor can analyse their abilities and ambitions, and run tests to measure their IQ (intelligence quotient), EQ (emotional quotient), CQ (creative quotient) and AQ (adversity quotient – that is, their ability to respond to challenges), to set them on an appropriate path.

Most tertiary institutions offer counselling and academic support services for prospective students, or there are skilled paid professional career and business coaches. And if these are beyond your means, there are free career aptitude tests available online.

“It’s a very good idea to do these online assessments even if you do go for career counselling,” says Penny. “They help you get some idea of who you are and what you’re good at. And that’s a good basis for helping to decide on the right career.” Online aptitude tests include The 123 Test, the Career Cluster Interest Survey and the Big Five Personality Test.

Also encourage your child to get early work experience, however menial, in a field that interests them. This will not only help them decide if it’s something they’d like to pursue but, in some cases, can set them up for working part-time or over holidays while studying. It’s also an asset on their CV at a time when even well-qualified students are struggling to find jobs without work experience. Suggest they volunteer to work for free or for a stipend, to get a foot in the door, and then they can watch, learn and network.

“Almost any job can teach them invaluable time-management, organisational and problem-solving skills and people skills,” Penny says. Finally, talk finances: not just about the importance of finding a career that pays enough for the lifestyle they aspire to, but the reality of paying for their studies to achieve this, and how best they can to that. Do they qualify for a student loan?

For the requirements of reputable banking institutions and how to apply, they (and you) can visit the SASSA Loans website. Do they maybe qualify for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for disadvantaged students?

“Many schools provide little if any help in deciding on a career,” says Penny. “As a parent your influence is extensive, even indirectly.” Just remember, the worst mistake you can make is to pressure your child to realise your own unfulfilled ambitions. Focus on being positive, supportive and empowering, and leave the decisions to them.

USEFUL RESOURCES:

– Grade 9 Career Guidance Project
Helps learners explore different careers and select school subjects for matric.
careerguidanceproject.co.za

– Go Study South Africa
Has tools to choose a field of study, career info on over 600 occupations, and on scholarships/bursaries, plus links and contacts for colleges, universities and over 3 000 study programmes.
gostudy.net

– Career Planet
Helps prepare a child from Grade 9 – including choosing school subjects for careers that align with their strengths, skills and interests.
careerplanet.co.za

– Khetha Career Development Services
A project of the Department of Higher Education, this links your child to career centres where they can get advice, and has info on subject and career choices, education institutions and funding.
careerhelp.org.za

– Careers Portal
Has an events calendar of career fairs and open days.
careersportal.co.za/events-calendar

– My Courses
A guide to courses to study online, in SA and distance learning, short courses, part-time and full-time.
studies.mycourses.co.za

By Glynis Horning
Photos & Illustration: Gallo/Getty Images