You can start by encouraging your child to explore career options and helping them understand themselves first. What activities interest them both inside and outside school? How does those activities relate to careers? To help get some starting ideas let your child do our free career test. This will give career options based on their preferences. Even if they don’t like the careers suggested at least they will be able to narrow down their options a little.

Look at the industries that are growing fast and employing more people. When helping your child make post-school education and career decisions, evaluate how many opportunities there are in the sector and if the same job will exist in the future given technological advances. Also identify back-up career options available to your child from the selected higher education course. Our career resources will help you obtain this information.

There are usually a number of different entry routes for most careers; some are based on qualifications, others on experience. The careers resources we provide at CareerMe will show the typical entry routes. Your son/daughter could also research employers that recruit for the careers that they are interested in and find out what school leaver or graduate schemes are available for entry level positions.

Going to university will provide your son/daughter with a broad range of useful skills and experiences. However, for certain careers university isn’t the only option. Many employers now offer an on-the-job training pathway for youth. In this case your son/daughter needs to identify jobs that cater to such needs.