The old adage "mum knows best" seems to ring true when young people are looking for career advice.
According to new research from LifeSkills, created with Barclays, youngsters turn to their parents for career guidance, with three-quarters of 14 to 25 year olds turning to their family for career inspiration and 54% for advice on securing a job.
But, with one in eight young people growing up in a workless household, families may need to be better equipped to help.
The research shows that the closer a young person is to leaving school, the less support they get with decisions about their career.
When asked who gives the best career advice, 26% of those aged 16 to 25 are most likely to state "nobody".
Karren Brady, LifeSkills Ambassador, said: “Young people will instinctively turn to their family for advice about their future career.
"That’s why it is crucial that families know where young people can get the essential additional information and support they need to succeed.
"LifeSkills plays a key role in this, as it gives young people the skills they need to enter the world of work, along with matching them to work experience opportunities, making the transition from school to work smoother.”
The LifeSkills Youth Barometer also found that almost a third of 14 to 25 year olds want more training before entering the workplace and half don’t feel they have been given enough careers education to get their dream job.
LifeSkills, created with Barclays, aims to connect businesses, education providers and young people to make young people’s transition into work as easy as possible.
Kirstie Mackey, head of LifeSkills, commented: “Understanding the options available after education and feeling confident about a path into work is a challenge that every young person faces.
"We want to do more to ensure that young people have the right information at the right time to help them make the best career choice for them."
Karren Brady’s top five tips on helping your children get into work
1. Find a potential career
Perhaps the very first step is encouraging your children to think about what careers they are interested in.
LifeSkills and Plotr are packed with different careers which can inspire young people about what they are aiming for after they finish education.
2. Consider their path
If your children have an idea of what they’d like to do, encourage them to research how to get there.
Traineeships and apprenticeships are available across a huge variety of industries now, so the traditional route of getting A Levels and a degree might not be the only, or even best, path into their chosen career.
The National Apprenticeship Service is great starting point to find out more information.
3. Use the summer holidays to get work experience
Summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to help your kids get some work experience.
You can use sites such as LifeSkills to find work placements in your local area via a teacher or try approaching businesses direct.
4. Create a CV
Encourage your children to create a CV using online resources like LifeSkills, to get advice on where to start and what to include.
5. Practice interview questions
Improve your children’s confidence at potential interviews by running through some typical questions.
This will get them used to thinking of good answers when they get put on the spot.