The Student Room Group

Teenage girls living in jobless households ‘get careers advice from TV’

"Thousands of teenage girls are looking to TV shows for career inspiration because they live in households where nobody works" Education and Employers Taskforce has warned.

Is this a big generalisation or do you think there is some truth in it?

Do you think schools aren't doing enough to connect the gap between education and work?

Scroll to see replies

Sounds much better than the careers advice we got at school.
Original post by yo radical one
Sounds much better than the careers advice we got at school.


What kind of advice, if any do you get these days?
Original post by She-RaBrighton
What kind of advice, if any do you get these days?



At our school we were forced to complete a multiple choice survey on the school network and it gave you a top ten list of jobs.

I was being serious before too, I mean if you're someone who comes from a background where you are not encouraged to be aspirational, deciding to become a midwife or a forensic scientist is much better than failing your GCSE's then being shoved off to college. Which is what happened to loads of people at my school.
Reply 4
Avatar for akash11
akash11
9
No stupid people get career advise from the TV, anyone who is too stupid not to realise that real life is completely different to what's on TV, is not intelligent enough to have a career.
Reply 5
Avatar for Quady
Quady
20
I don't think this is just in jobless hosueholds.

CSI and ER have influenced lots of people to try and get into careers they have no hope in.That said now I come to think of it, they've all been girls, hadn't thought there was a gender element but perhaps there is.
Original post by akash11
No stupid people get career advise from the TV, anyone who is too stupid not to realise that real life is completely different to what's on TV, is not intelligent enough to have a career.



*advice
Reply 7
Avatar for 2ndClass
2ndClass
3
Do you mean like starring on TV shows like TOWIE and MIC? I think the girls who tend to go for those careers are typically vapid. They generally have zero motivation to do something meaningful/challenging. I also don't think they're working class tbh, mostly spoilt rich girls who have daddy's trust fund to fall back on.
Reply 8
Avatar for Quady
Quady
20
Original post by 2ndClass
Do you mean like starring on TV shows like TOWIE and MIC? I think the girls who tend to go for those careers are typically vapid. They generally have zero motivation to do something meaningful/challenging. I also don't think they're working class tbh, mostly spoilt rich girls who have daddy's trust fund to fall back on.


Didn't bother to click on the link did you...?
Reply 9
Avatar for 2ndClass
2ndClass
3
Original post by Quady
Didn't bother to click on the link did you...?


Nah, I'm giving a different perspective from being around those girls.
Reply 10
Avatar for MJ1012
MJ1012
18
Better than connexions in my experience...
Reply 11
Avatar for LukeM90
LukeM90
17
I remember when I was in my last year of school (2006) I got to visit the careers guidance officer I think he was called, he said what was I interested in I replied

"I dont know I was hoping you could help me"

and he asked a bit about me and I said how I like gadgets and web design etc and im doing I.T. gcse

and no joke he said somthing like

"I really think you'd have to improve on your math or you'l have a hard time getting into the IT industry or university, have you considered the army?"


at any case he wasnt very helpful, I find careers advisors at job centre etc usualy arent that good either,

especially if you are unsure of what you want/lacking direction, im 23 in a job and still dont know what I want so yeah lol

I think it might be a bit of a generalisation but any attempt to improve advice and guidance avaialble would be a good thing imo.
Original post by akash11
No stupid people get career advise from the TV, anyone who is too stupid not to realise that real life is completely different to what's on TV, is not intelligent enough to have a career.


I think it's more about the fact that they don't have family members who work and do little to help them think about a career or the type of work that might be right for them. The article quotes that applications for midwifery has risen dramatically and this is potentially because of shows like "Call the Midwife"

This article is focused on teenage girls but is it any different for guys?
Original post by 2ndClass
Do you mean like starring on TV shows like TOWIE and MIC? I think the girls who tend to go for those careers are typically vapid. They generally have zero motivation to do something meaningful/challenging.


That's interesting that you say that... most of the girls on TOWIE run their own businesses and are doing so successfully.....
It's just dumb. In my school, people were told to "follow your dreams, do whatever subjects you want, as long as you are happy then the world will be open to you" etc. HA! Hell no, especially not in this economy. You can't just go studying any old useless waste of time degree that won't get you any work. People need to be advised to study subjects useful to them and their futures, so they'll at least have a greater chance of getting work when they are older.
Reply 15
Avatar for 2ndClass
2ndClass
3
Original post by She-RaBrighton
That's interesting that you say that... most of the girls on TOWIE run their own businesses and are doing so successfully.....


Maybe, running some random boutique isn't that big a deal tbh. And they'll all shut down once the spotlight goes away.
Reply 16
Avatar for xsindy
xsindy
16
Does this imply that teenage girls, on a whole, are more likely to aspire to gain a career similar to their parents' professions?
Original post by xsindy
Does this imply that teenage girls, on a whole, are more likely to aspire to gain a career similar to their parents' professions?


No I don't think so - it's a focus group of London families. Info below :smile:

"The taskforce estimates that there are 50,000 teenage girls in London living in families where nobody has a job, leading many to gain their career insights from watching characters on television."
Original post by 2ndClass
Maybe, running some random boutique isn't that big a deal tbh. And they'll all shut down once the spotlight goes away.


As long as they fail, you're happy eh? :wink:
Reply 19
Avatar for skotch
skotch
16
This is only partially related to the thread, but what gets me is when you see little kids around 15/16 not giving a single crap about their education. What they don't realise is that those years ARE in fact important for your career - having decent maths, English and science grades at gcse can get you so much further than not having them. Hate the apathy a lot of kids have towards school. Exemplified in all those fly on the wall documentaries in schools and those following teachers about.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you