An adult asks a precious and precocious kiddo: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” This is a scenario that you have probably seen play out countless times, whether in your own childhood or as the parent of young children today.
The answers can range from crowd-pleasing (“doctor”, “lawyer”) or adorable (“princess”, “ice-cream man”), to absurd (“dinosaur”, “Pokemon Master”) or fantastic (“astronaut”, “professional wrestler”), to completely unimaginative (“I don’t know”).
Whatever the case, getting children started on career exploration beyond a superficial level can often be a tall order. But that does not necessarily mean that conversations about work and careers should only be had when children are older or on the cusp of adulthood.
In fact, children with a more informed understanding of what career options are at their disposal are able to work more deliberately and methodically towards their goals. Here is how you can, with some effort and creative solutions, broaden and deepen the discussion on jobs with your child.
As all parents know, the world of work contains myriad possibilities — both attractive and less attractive both — that children have no inkling of.
This is more true than ever today with the marketplace becoming increasingly digital-centric and demand ratcheting up for tech sector jobs that require higher-order and abstract skillsets, such as data scientists or cloud engineers.
Depending on the work you do, you may already have found yourself giving a simplified and not-quite-accurate job description to your curious child. Rather than fob your child off, however, think of questions about what you do at work as a great starting point for your child’s career exploration.
Beyond your own job, highlight jobs and roles that your child might not have otherwise thought about. For example, being a mermaid when she grows up might not be the most practical career choice for your child, but perhaps her love for the sea and underwater fauna could be channelled towards being a marine biologist instead?
After you have gotten your child into a proper discussion about jobs, the next step is to draw the link between what they are learning today and what they will be using it for in the future.
Again, drawing this link is not something that most children are able to do on their own. While it’s easy to connect the dots for a child who displays an aptitude for and interest in Science and a future career in research, the reality is not always so straightforward.
Brighter or more inquisitive children may even start questioning the future value of their schoolwork when they are frustrated with one or more weaker subjects. This is where parents, who do have working experience, can play an important role in presenting the bigger picture to children.
Much of what is taught in school does turn out to be useful in one way or another no matter what field we end up in. A poor grasp of language can hinder a scientist trying to publish his or her findings in a coherent way to the world, in the same way that a poor grasp of scientific basics can hinder a would-be entrepreneur trying to evaluate the viability of a certain manufacturing method.
Possessing a versatile and broad-based skill set on top of one’s specialisation often makes one more employable, and this is one of the underlying principles behind why students study a range of subjects in school.
Discover a treasure trove of complimentary activity sheets that lets your child see the interconnectivity between the subjects they learn in school and their future dream jobs.
Learn how to write a feature story, interview sources and understand the role that journalists play in society.
Explore the fascinating world of crime, evidence and investigations with this activity booklet to forensic science.
Give your child an inside look on how they can identify their positive qualities and work towards their dream occupation.
To help your child understand better what getting into a career involves, you may also want to consider mixing career exploration with a staple of school life: goal-setting. Goal-setting is not limited to academic targets, and can be applied to longer-term goals like careers too.
Ask your child: if he or she would like to be an engineer, journalist, influencer or doctor, what would he or she need to do starting from today to reach that goal? (“How do you become a doctor?”)
Break down the process of reaching that long-term goal into a series of shorter-term milestones that he or she can start working towards. For example, your child may need to do well enough overall in school to qualify for a specialist track or programme, or gain exposure to certain domains of knowledge or expertise.
Finally, you should also consider adopting the hands-on approach should the opportunity allow for it.
The current work-from-home situation may make school field trips to the offices of companies from various sectors tricky, but it also brings your work into close proximity with your child, which can be a good starting point for talking about the demands of working life.
Encourage your child to avail him or herself of any industry attachment or internship programmes that their schools offer, as these provide precious insight into worlds that would normally be closed off.
Your child does not necessarily have to be in the workplace to learn about the workplace too. School puts him or her in many situations that develop the same skills that he or she will need in working life, such as teamwork, leadership, and getting along with others.
These are soft skills that The Learning Lab actively looks to foster in our classes. Experience is the best teacher, as the saying goes.
Your child’s career choices may sometimes seem to be the furthest thing from his or her mind on a day to day basis, but with encouragement and the right framing career exploration can be a fruitful endeavour for the both of you.
At The Learning Lab, we believe in helping your child build a holistic foundation comprising both knowledge and skills that will serve him or her well in whatever career they embark on in the future.
Equipping your child with the skills to succeed in their future career is a long-term process that is best started today. Parents have a key role to play in shaping this process.
At The Learning Lab, we believe that the acquisition of knowledge goes hand in hand with the mastery of important life skills when it comes to nurturing well-rounded and dynamic students who are excited to learn.
Click here to find out more about how our teachers at The Learning Lab can build your child’s future-readiness.
The Learning Lab is now at locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may contact us at 6733 8711 or drop us an email at enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.
The Learning Lab is now at locations. Find a location that suits your needs.
If you have any questions about our range of programmes or class schedules, you may fill in the form below or contact us at 6733 8711 / enquiry@thelearninglab.com.sg.