industry & reform
Children are constantly absorbing ideas about their own identity and potential .
Sooner the better
Why careers education should start in primary school .
By Liv Pennie
From a very early age , children ’ s play involves trying adult job roles for size . In group games children often fight over roles that are deemed desirable , with clear ideas about which roles cut it – and which don ’ t – in terms of prestige , gender and their own identity .
Young people ’ s limited awareness and understanding of the world of work are evident in these early games . These gaps make an easy opening for misplaced ideas that can get absorbed from school , home and the culture at large .
Research has shown that during the primary years , young people ’ s ideas about their future get prematurely narrowed . In general conversation , they ’ re constantly picking up clues for what ’ s judged as success in their family or their area . This can start to build a very narrow definition of success in a child ’ s head .
For example , I heard a recent argument between year five students , where a group of girls were laughing at a boy who had said he loved babies and would like to be a midwife . They were certain that the boy could not be a midwife but suggested he could be an obstetrician instead .
Children are also constantly absorbing ideas about their own identity and potential . They ’ ll happily pick up and run with ideas about where they ‘ fit ’, thanks to a natural curiosity and the strong influence of parents and adults around them .
These external influences begin to get hardwired towards the end of primary school when they ’ re building a real sense of identity . Many young people will prematurely narrow their options and rule things out based on these shaky foundations that they ’ ve never really examined .
All of this explains why it ’ s vital that educators and parents alike begin having career conversations with young people a lot earlier than they might expect . Don ’ t expect that you should ‘ know the answer ’ or be the source of all information about careers for your students . Teach them to find out for themselves , starting by breaking out of any boxes they ’ re already been put in so they ’ re free to explore broadly .
Let young people go off-road a bit to explore all sorts of ideas for their future . Help them reflect on their own interests , strengths and skills . What are they good at ?
What types of tasks are they doing when they seem really happy or are drawn to in their spare time ? Create a safe space for student exploration that enables open thinking and supports active exploration across all areas of career endeavour .
The careers conversation isn ’ t just a sore point for Australian schools : in the UK a new government inquiry will explore whether current careers advice provides young people with sufficient guidance about career choices , employment , training and further and higher education opportunities . Robert Halfon MP , Chair of the UK Parliament ’ s Education Committee , went as far as to say that “ careers guidance policy is not fit for purpose in this country ”.
Clearly , getting things right isn ’ t easy , but it starts with accepting that young children are thinking about their careers from a much earlier age than adults expect . Our data shows that 80 % of year five and six students are thinking about their future life and career often or all the time , yet less than 10 % have discussed their ideas with a teacher .
This isn ’ t to place the blame squarely on schools : this is a systemic , cultural issue that needs to be tackled with care and nuance by parents and teachers alike . Let ’ s face it , career discussions can be difficult . It ’ s easy for visions and decisions about the future to feel rushed , under-explored , or get lost in translation .
If unhelpful or even dangerous misconceptions about ‘ what people like me do ’ happen at an early age , it ’ s likely that they ’ ll stick . If we ’ re not careful , they might stick for life .
But by putting young people in the driving seat to challenge previously held assumptions and see their true potential , we ’ re able to give them a sense of agency over their future . If students can be empowered to see their future in a positive , non-confronting way from an early age , they ’ ll be much more likely to adapt to all the changes and surprises that life can throw their way . ■
Liv Pennie is the co-founder and CEO of BECOME Education .
8 | educationreview . com . au