GTI Media and CASCAID, with a combined total of more than 65 years’ experience of careers information and guidance, have revealed the findings of a survey of 7,000 school and college students from years 10–13: the trendence School Leaver Barometer 2014.
Although most students seem pretty happy with what they get in terms of careers support, many schools continue to struggle to find the resources to offer consistent careers advice and information. And when it comes to offering guidance on the critical decisions facing children, the research shows that parents and friends of the family are considerably more influential than teachers.
From the trendence School Leaver Barometer survey and a complementary survey of parents, we discovered that:
- The family was nearly three times as influential as teachers in helping school children choose between work and university
- For those children opting for work/apprenticeships at 18, advice from friends and family was considered to be the best way to find out about employers and career areas
- For those children planning to go university, parents were six times as influential as teachers in helping to choose the best universities
- But 76% of parents said they did not know where to look for information about alternatives to university*
Universities and employers are very focused on engaging with school and college students to promote higher education and employment but it appears that both need also to engage with parents too as they have a real and growing impact on the decisions their children make. But although parents are most influential in helping with university choices, they appear to be struggling with finding information about the many fine alternatives to university*.
The survey explored students’ experience of careers guidance and information, access to employers, career plans and their choice of job, employer, apprenticeship or university. It was built and designed by international research firm trendence, who have conducted a similar survey in German schools for over a decade. Its results will be of great interest to recruiters, schools, colleges, educational bodies and to government as they confront the challenge of providing excellent guidance and information services to all pupils. The Report of all the findings is available here
Chris Phillips, Information and Research Director at GTI Media says: “GTI Media is pleased to launch the trendence School Leaver Barometer survey 2014 which provides a snapshot of what school students think about their future, the help they are getting to make career decisions and their plans for future employment. It also highlights the need for parental engagement and the provision of better careers information for these important influencers.”
Richard Harrison, Chief Executive of CASCAID says: “Our findings echo other research which firmly shows that when young people are making important decisions about their future they value input from the people that know them best. The challenge for schools and careers advisers is to make sure that parents and carers are aware of all of the opportunities available in terms of learning, training and careers. At CASCAID we have key mission to support the schools that we work with to involve parents and carers at key decision points.”
*Parents’ finding taken from a survey conducted at the same time and launched in full at a Conference in December. See here