Depending on the age of your child their future job or career may not have been created, such is the rapid rate of development in our society. So how can a parent or carer assist and guide students?

The my future website developed by the Australian Government contains many useful tips and strategies for students and their carers to guide them along the sometimes challenging path of choosing a career direction and the subjects to help them develop that career. 

Subject selection commences during Year 7 or 8 and continues until your student makes the final choices at end of Year 11 for Year 12. This can be difficult when the majority of young students are unclear about the jobs they wish to work in. 

We have summarised helpful tips from the website to help you guide your child. 

Your child should choose subjects that:

• enable them to work from their strengths and are enjoyable while they study
• challenge them to make the most of their capabilities
• provide them with the qualification they need to pursue their ambitions after school
• offer a range of study that is manageable, with a balance between theoretical and practical subjects
• provide life skills
• are their choice and not the choice of others.

Strategies to help you help your child:

1. Stay calm and open-minded

Remember, it's your child's life and they are your child's choices to make, not yours. 

2. Be a positive influence

Talk about your career. Highlight events and experiences that influenced your goals and how you did or didn’t realise them. 

3. Encourage your child to talk to other adults about their careers

Hearing about careers from adults young and old will help your child think about their place in society at different life stages. They could talk to their grandparents, aunts, uncles, their friends' parents or other people they know.

4. Watch movies and television together

Discuss the characters and what they do. Think about how satisfying their lives are and how work contributes to their happiness.

5. Talk about the people you know or those you meet in your day-to-day activities

Ask questions like, 'Do you think Sally likes being a nurse?' or 'Do you think the dentist is good at her job?' 

6. Do things together

Baking a cake, planting a veggie garden, whatever the activity, do it together. Compliment your child on their skills. Keep it simple: 'You're very organised when you cook! Wait for a response. In time, you can discuss these skills further and link them to the workforce. For example, you could say 'Plumbers need to be organised, otherwise they miss out on making money because they're too slow and people don't use them again'. These chats highlight the importance of recognising one's own skills and how such skills are valued in the workplace.

7. Ask your child what would they choose if they could be or do anything in the whole world

You said once you wanted to be a famous actor.' 'Would you consider drama as an elective?

8. Make it easy for your child to participate in work experience programs

This may include formal work experience or other school-organised fieldwork that has a focus on the workforce. 

9. Encourage your child to participate in activities at school or in the community

Your child could help out at a sports club, join their school fete committee or get involved in the school production. They develop work skills, which are valuable to learn and practice. Your child will learn that work can be routine, fun and dull on occasions. 

10. If your child is ready, encourage them to seek a part-time job

Help them to write their resume, and be there when they deliver resumes in person. Support your child if they don't get the job. 

11. Start to build your career profile

Your child can start to develop ideas by completing My career profile. My career profile generates a personalised list of suggested occupations based on your activity responses. 

Who else can help with these discussions? 

The course counsellor or careers advisor at your child's school will be able to give advice on choosing senior school subjects. In particular, they will be able to provide your child with information about the subjects:

• required for entry to university
• related to particular occupations
• required for VET courses.

The following people and organisations can also assist your child to make informed decisions:

• subject teachers
• Indigenous education workers
• parents
• friends
• lecturers and teachers at universities and TAFEs
• students who are currently studying the subjects your child is interested in
• employers
• people in an industry or organisation that interests your child
• role models or successful people in the career of their choice.

Keep having conversations. As your student progresses through school and they experience different opportunities, their interests may change.