How to help your teenager find work

With unemployment in the UK three times higher for young people aged 16 to 24 than the overall unemployment rate, you may be worried about what the future of work holds for your child. Whilst jobs may be slightly harder to come by at the moment, it’s not all doom and gloom.

Writer, educationalist and former headteacher Peter Hyman has co-authored a new report called ‘Inside the Mind of a Young NEET’. The findings feed into Alan Milburn's independent review into young people and work. He’s interviewed over 400 ‘NEETS’ (young people ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’) and has some tips on how you can help your child with early steps into the job market.

1. Understand the unique challenges this generation faces

Peter says this generation of young people looking for work are facing a unique set of circumstances, which includes: the fallout from Covid; the fast pace of the modern world, which he says the education system has yet to catch up with; the addictive nature of social media and its impact on sleep; the difficult labour market since the economic crash of 2008; the offshoring of entry-level, more ‘routine’ jobs, plus the implications of AI (Artificial Intelligence) on those jobs:

“Young people said to us [those] entry-level jobs are going to those with experience, and ‘how can we compete?’… They’re finding it very hard to break into that… In addition, if you’ve got a mental health issue, if you’re neurodiverse, you’re growing up in poverty, if you’ve grown up in care, then you’ve got a whole other set of challenges and struggles that you’ve had.”

He praises the resilience of many of the young people he spoke to who’d faced challenges such as these. As parents and carers, it helps to reflect on the individual circumstances and broader economic market your child is operating in.

2. Help your child to recognise their own unique skillset

The report shows there’s huge untapped potential in young people, including them having skills they might not realise they have. As a parent, you can help them to both develop these skills, and talk about them when applying for jobs.

As an example, Peter mentions young people who didn’t list sports teams or training on their CVs and job applications. Employers value the commitment and perseverance many team or competitive sports require, which can translate well to the workplace.

Peter mentions the skillset of young carers too: “We’ve talked to carers of parents with MS [multiple sclerosis], or whatever, who’ve been the main carer, who’ve cleaned the house every day, cared for the parent, have done all their medicine… They’re growing up very fast – they’re very mature – and they’ve got a lot of responsibility. That should be used when they're applying for jobs.”

Peter adds employers also value applicants who show “genuine enthusiasm” for a role. So, if your child is applying for a job or going for an interview, encourage them to research the company and think about what they hope to get out of the role.

Bitesize Careers has lots of tips, advice and inspiration for teenagers

3. Encourage your teen to get some work experience

“The more they have ideas and get a taste of stuff, the better.” – Peter Hyman, co-author of Inside the Mind of a Young Neet

Peter says there were a very low number of children in the UK who’d done any part-time jobs or work experience, compared to almost all teenagers in the Netherlands (where the report was also conducted), which has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the EU. He mentions stacking shelves in the supermarket or hospitality – anything which helps your teenager to develop the skills they’ll need in the workplace, such as:

● time management

● reliability and responsibility

● teamwork

● managing their own money

● communication skills, etc.

You can encourage your teenager to offer their gardening, babysitting or volunteering services locally, and build from there. But he says it’s also about young people understanding that whilst they may dream of becoming a footballer or a business manager, that might not realistically be the first job they get. Influencers can make it look easy, but many young people had a habit of ‘quitting’ too easily, and struggle to understand the reality of doing the boring 9-to-5 work in order to gain skills which they can put to better use further down the line – and which they can also offer to employers for future roles.

As a parent, by encouraging them to earn their own money from a younger age, you’re building their skillset as well as their understanding of the broader world of work.

4. Work on communication skills with your teen

We all know this one is difficult. It’s hard enough to get your teen to say more than a grunted sentence at the best of times, but it’s about a combination of small wins and some of the basics you may already be aware of: family dinner times without screens – when you can manage it and where that works for your unique set-up; time spent outside the house with other children and adults; encouraging debates and critical thinking; asking your child to verbally communicate an idea or concept, even if that’s a plea for more time gaming!

Peter also mentions screen time. He acknowledges (as a parent of three himself) “it’s the hardest thing to get right” but was surprised by how many young people had screens in their rooms at night and were subsequently scrolling until 3am. Think about boundaries you can put in place to reduce endless scrolling and promote restful sleep.

The other issue which cropped up when Peter and his colleague Shuab Gamote spoke to ‘NEETS’ was how much time they’d spent locked away in their bedrooms – often for years – after dropping out of a college course or job. Whilst it’s harder than ever these days with screens and online delivery making it easy to stay in, Peter advises as parents we try and get our young person “out and about as much as possible”, in their wider community.

5. Change the narrative on what a ‘good’ career and education looks like

Instead of focusing purely on the exams-based route and then university, Peter suggests being “as well informed as possible about what the options are… Often [children] don’t ‘bite’ on something immediately, because they want to do it their own way, but actually if you sew the seeds and continue to… the more they have ideas and get a taste of stuff, the better.”

That can include researching things like T-levels, apprenticeships, training and other routes into employment, and celebrating those as viable, successful options too. Peter highlights that side hustles such as selling clothes or other items online can also teach your child skills, including meeting deadlines, budgeting and reliability.

Peter finishes by reminding parents and carers, where they can, to be a ‘trusted adult’. This includes being there when things do go wrong for your child, whether that’s not getting the job they wanted, failing a course or being told they’re not ‘good enough’. He noticed many young people they spoke to didn’t have an adult there when they needed help in a transition period or setback. Being there for your child can boost their confidence and ability to bounce back from the inevitable peaks and troughs of their young working life.

More articles that might help:

Jobs of the future: what will our children be doing in 2040?

Seven ways to get your kids outdoors

Tillie’s story: the nine to five with Stacey Dooley

Five ways to help your teen spend less time on their screen

The Bitesize Careers Podcast