A study by youth career coaching firm, TwoPointZero has found over half (56%) of young Aussies are embarking on careers totally unrelated to their studies.
The study also found 55% of young Aussies go on to regret their electives. This may be due to the fact a quarter (24%) of young people are unsure of which career direction to take.
With university application dates fast approaching, Steve Shepherd CEO at TwoPointZero, believes it is vital we help young Aussies make informed decisions to ensure they don’t come to regret their university choices.
“We need to help young Australians make the right career choices early on. If you don’t know what your passions, strengths or career interests are, then the decisions you make in high school or university could be the wrong ones,” said Shepherd.
“We need to spend more time in high school and university educating and helping young Aussies to understand them uncover what drives them and what they are passionate about and then provide guidance to aid them in making the right decision that will put them on a path to fulfilling careers.
The study found as few as 4% of young people said school staff helped influence their decisions and almost three quarters (70%) felt their educational institution has failed in helping them make the right career choice.
“It’s troubling that young Aussies are spending so much money on a good education and getting themselves into HECS debt, but putting it to little use when entering the workforce. We’re not making the most of our education system,” said Shepherd.
“This might be to do with our degree obsession. Many young people just go to university because it is the done thing. It doesn’t matter what course they take, just as long as they come out with a degree. Is this how our education system should operate? Shouldn’t we be using tertiary and further education to prepare young Aussies for the world of work and give them the skills Australia will need in the future?” continued Shepherd.
By not helping young Aussies make the right career choices from an early age, many are quickly becoming dejected about the jobs market. In fact, nearly half (48%) of young Aussies have lost hope of pursuing a career they’re passionate about.
“Not only is our lack of career guidance putting young people in a negative gear as soon as they start their career, it is actively having an impact on their confidence in the labour market.
“We need to do much better in helping young Australians discover their passion and make the right choices, which better align with careers suited to them. We can only do this if we provide better guidance in schools and at a younger age,” concluded Shepherd.
For more information on how TwoPointZero helps young Australians navigate the uncertain employment landscape to secure fulfilling employment opportunities CLICK HERE