does your 15 year old know which career they want?

[southeastastra]

because i'm panicking, son doesn't have much idea, something in computing is as far as he's got

[mumblechum]

DS wants to be either a pilot, or go into the intelligence service.

I'm encouraging the former option, as fewer hours and more money.

He's 14 & knows he'll have to work hard at sciences.

[mumblechum]

Don't panic, by the way, I don't think many people have a clear idea of what they want to do at 15.

[AMumInScotland]

Yes, professional musician. But I think he's unusual in being clear about it, not your son being unusual for not having a plan. I certainly had no idea when I was that age, nor did most of the people I knew. If he's doing a reasonable range of subjects at school, and doing ok at them, then I don't think it matters terribly. Is he starting to think about which subjects to carry on with?

[Tortington]

ds2 carpenter
dd lawyer

filled in college apps last night. how scarey

i had no clue at that age.

just whip him off to college with nondescipt a-levels, so he can still have a borad choice of degree, thats what i am thinking with dd, i am sure with one year at college she will change her mind

[southeastastra]

i know it's up to him, maybe i'm worrying too much about it. he seems to like maths and science alot and wants to carry them on.

what instrument does he play muminscotland?

i'd love him to be a carpenter, or something like a mechanic

[pagwatch]

My Ds is still narrowing it down. We know he wants to go to Uni and that he will probably want to study Classics or Fine Art. So I just try to encourage him to make sensible courses for his A levels and just keep narrowing in on what he likes best and can make a creeer from.

I had no clue at that age and actually talking to him he is clearly thinking about it and starting to chose a direction if not a career. He is looking at universities already, although in a vague way which I think is good. And I guess his GCSE results will provide more info

[themoon66]

DS still has no clue and he is 17.

[AMumInScotland]

Violin and bass guitar - but it's violin he really wants to carry on with. We've gone down the route of "getting some decent general qualifications" as a plan along with the music - he knows just how few musicians can actually use it to pay the bills!

[Blinglovin]

I think "something in computing" is actually pretty good for a 15year old. It means he can think about appropriate school subjects and start looking at the right type of colleges, without being too wedded to one thing.

He'll need maths and science I guess. And at some point will have to decide whether to study super geeky computer stuff or less geeky, more generic things. But in my experience, people who study one can move into the other.

[brimfull]

I have started a few threads on this topic.
My dd is in yr 12 and still undecided.

[Blinglovin]

If you turn it around though, how many of us knew exactly what we wanted to do as a teenager and then are doing it?

I managed to figure out what I wanted to study at uni, but it was a few years before I made a decision on an actual career.

[Sherbert37]

We have been told that the careers our teengers choose may not have been invented yet - makes you think. Also, there will be few jobs for life, so not as urgent to get on the ladder as it might have been.

My DS is 15 and wants to do something like engineering. Tech studies is the only subject that excites him. Would electrical engineering be possibility for your DS?

[southeastastra]

not sure about electrical engineering! i suppose i just really want him to be more interested in what career would interest him.

i don't want him to end up like i did i suppose. aimlessley doing different jobs

[RedSparklersOnHerHead]

I'm 27 and I still have no idea of what I want to do when I "grow-up"

At the moment I design and make jewellery, but I would like to be a midwife one day, but that means I will have to go back to college and it's so difficult to get on to - who knows!

[ShrinkingViolet]

DD1 wants to do "something Maths-ey using Excel" . At least it's making her A level choices easier (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, just one more option to decide on thankfully).

[Blinglovin]

Shrinking - I think your DD wants to be my BIL. He's a financial modeller. Lots of maths and uses Excel. Extremely well paid!

[VanillaPumpkin]

I am 32 and have only just decided what I want to be . Applied for my PGCE this year.
I should point out I have been working full time since I left Uni prior to dd1.

[snowy91]

I'm 17 don't know what i wanna do - i've applie to uni and have my places but after that no idea!

at 15 people asked me and i didn't have a clue!!! it's too early at 17 never let alone 15! - let him enjoy his life before the joys of a levels etc.....

[silver73]

DS wants to be a doctor - has done for last 10 years and looks like it may just happen with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work

[Judy1234]

There's no rush. My daughters didn't decide until they were in their last year at university, although my brother and sister and I picked career specific degrees so we had a reasonable idea when we picked our A level subjects so knew at 15 therefore.

[DaniLeeds1990]

I think at such a young age its so hard to decide what you want to be, especially under the influence from friends.

[findtheriver]

Agree with sherbert. The likelihood is that our children will have more than one 'career' over the course of their working life, and many of them will do jobs we don't even know exist yet.

It's helpful if young people have some idea of their strengths or areas of interest, but tbh, having a totally fixed idea of what they want to do probably isn't any more helpful than having no idea!

[idobelieveinsanta]

Yup...DD wants to be a doctor..and as she has a super duper science brain...and millions of medical books....i don't think she will change her mind.

She did her work experience at our local hospital and loved every minute of it.

DS13..has been saying for a while he wants to be a teacher of PE...we shall see...

i never knew at that age though.

[scienceteacher]

No, nor does my 17 year old.