Scarborough mum speaks out after poll shows two-thirds of people wish they’d had more career advice from parents

The findings – carried out by Talking Futures, an online resource that helps parents talk to children about future education and career options – show that nearly half of those people admit to not being in their ‘dream job’ as a result.

Its data also shows that four in five parents in Yorkshire and the Humber parents are trying to guide their own teenagers by having regular conversations, however, many are worried about giving the wrong advice.

Mum Carey Bilton, 45, who is based in Scarborough and is the parent of a sixth-form student aged 17, has spoken about her experience growing up and how she is now using this to shape the conversations she has with her child.

She said: “When I was growing up I had very few conversations with my parents about future careers.

"I’m in a job that I love now but it took me a while to get to this point.

"Being more aware of what was out there, and spending some time thinking about what I enjoyed and was good at, could have helped me find the right job earlier on in my career.

"I want to help my daughter by having the conversations I never had, exploring future career and education options on a regular basis.

"I want her to end up in a career that she loves too, so I encourage her to talk about the subjects and potential careers that she’s passionate about to keep the conversation positive and get her excited about what is possible.

“There are so any interesting job opportunities available to young people now – and better education routes to get you there – compared to when my generation was growing up.

"It can be a little overwhelming to get your head around, but my top tip for other parents who are worried about passing on the wrong advice to their children is to remember that it’s okay to not have all the answers.

"I certainly don’t, but I listen to my daughter, and make use of online career resources and the advice offered by my daughter’s college, and we tackle the decisions together.”

Michelle Rea, spokesperson for the Talking Futures campaign at the Gatsby Foundation, said: “We know that parents play a pivotal role in influencing their children’s education and career choices.

"And that’s why it’s so encouraging to see that parents across the country are trying to guide their children by having regular career-related conversations, despite their concerns about passing on the wrong advice.”

The survey questioned 2,000 parents of secondary school age pupils, of which 128 were in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Talking Futures has launched a new online quiz at https://www.talkingfutures.org.uk/quiz/ to help parents strengthen their knowledge on what are the current education and career options available to their teenager.