In a social media post, I shared how we help teens identify careers that they will love. This will help them find the right college or other post-secondary education. Someone commented, “I think we need to stop pressuring kids to pick a path at 18. Take general courses, then find your passion. I was 40 before I finished my degree and determined what I wanted to do.”
I agree, we don’t need to pressure our teens. However, the reality is times are very different than when we went to school.
A friend of mine has a niece, Jill, who was adamant that she wanted to go to school to be a cosmetologist. Jill wouldn’t entertain the idea of anything else. After graduation from cosmetology school, Jill discovered she hated being a hairstylist, and the makeup artist jobs were few and far between. Now Jill THINKS she wants to be a teacher.
Her parents have already paid thousands of dollars for an education Jill wants nothing to do with. How can they be confident that being a teacher is right for Jill?
I hear this same story from other parents. They have kids who started down a path that wasn’t right for them, and it ended up causing a financial burden. I was one of those kids who didn’t start on the right path. Fortunately, it didn’t create a significant financial burden for my parents, as it was more years ago than I want to admit. That is not the case now, as we have seen an all-time high of student loan debt.
The other reality is that the job market is very competitive, and people in their 20’s are having a harder time launching their careers than in the past. This means more kids are moving back home after college graduation. A 2019 study showed that 50% of students move back home after college graduation. Many of these kids plan on living at home for at least two years. You can read more about the study here.
So, while we don’t want to pressure our teens to decide on a career, we have to help them. We can provide them with experiences to help guide them. Kids can only make decisions based on what they see, hear, or do.
If you put off or avoid helping your teen find their future path in their high school years, you are opening yourself up to potential debt and a kid in their 20’s, living at home and feeling lost about their future.
Don’t know where to start? Schedule a complimentary college assessment plan call with me here. I am happy to help you get started with helping your teen find the right path.