Parents encouraged to help teens with career decisions

It’s that time of the year where teenagers are making decisions about the subjects they will choose to study next year. For many teenagers, this will be the first big decision that will play a part in shaping their lives beyond school.

“Parents and caregivers are the biggest single influencer on young peoples’ career decisions,” Careers New Zealand chief operating officer Jay Lamburn says.

“Choosing school subjects can be difficult for teenagers as there are many factors to consider.”

Careers New Zealand encourages parents and families to take some time now to talk with their teenagers about their subjects and helping them consider how their choices will affect their future training or career options.

To help students make informed decisions, Careers New Zealand has online tools and resources to guide young people onto the right pathway.

Ms Lamburn advises that to begin with, it is really important for teenagers to know who they are and what they want – both from work and life. When they know what they would like to pursue as a career, then the subject choices become easier to make.

“For those who want to keep their options wide open, taking English, maths and science will be their best choices,” she says.

Parents seeking advice on how they can support their teenagers during subject choice time can call Careers New Zealand’s Advice line on 0800 222 733 or chat online to a Career Advisor at www.careers.govt.nz 

The website also has a wealth of information for teenagers wanting to explore the jobs they are interested in and to learn about training options.