One of the toughest jobs of parenthood is helping your children prepare for the world of work that lies just around the corner from school. And it’s even tougher in a world where work isn’t what it used to be, or what it’s going to be.
The day will come, not too far away from now, when a child will sit at the dinner table and proclaim: “Mom, dad…I’ve decided what I want to be when I finish school.”
And mom and dad will look up from their plates, expectant with wonder. Doctor? Lawyer? Banker? Architect? Engineer? No.
“I want to be a memory augmentation surgeon.”
You know: someone who pops an extra memory-chip into your head, allowing you to remember more stuff, or removes a bothersome chip to get rid of the stuff you don’t want to remember.
Of course, it’s not a job that exists today, outside the realm of science fiction. But in 15 or 20 years from now, it could be a viable and lucrative career choice, along with robot mechanic, nano-medic, and space station caterer.
For the schoolchildren of the 21st Century, the possibilities are boundless. For their parents, it’s a worry and a challenge: how do you prepare your children today, for the career opportunities of tomorrow?
You’ll find plenty of useful advice in our BrightRock Iris Session on Career Planning for Your Child, hosted by David O’Sullivan, with educational psychologist Lisa Anderson and broadcaster Kuli Roberts on the couch.
For Lisa, who specialises in guiding scholars on the career paths that suit them best, the journey begins with a process called asset mapping. Define what you’re good at doing, even if you don’t consider it a marketable skill, and make it a strength you can work with.
For instance, you might simply be a good listener, and that could lead you into a field such as psychology, journalism, or Human Resources. But tomorrow’s professionals need to think beyond the single, lifelong career that tended to define their parent’s choice, says Lisa.
“I always say, you’re going to evolve. You should have at least five careers in your life-span. You can do anything, and you can work from anywhere. Think about where we’re going to be in 10 years’ time, and be inventive.”
Inventing your own career came naturally for Kuli Roberts, who is today best known as a TV and radio presenter. As a teen, she had no greater goal than “getting out of my parents’ house”.
She studied politics and history at UCT, worked briefly in the media department of the ANC, and took up journalism because she loved reading as much as she loved talking.
Today, as a mother-of-two, a 22-year-old daughter who is studying teaching, and a 19-year-old son who is playing club rugby in England, she is more convinced than ever that if you study and work hard, the career of your dreams will eventually find you.
“Just because you study teaching, doesn’t mean you’ll be a teacher,” says Kuli. “You can do what you want to. There are so many options.”
It’s a working philosophy that resonates with David. He made it into medical school, decided he didn’t want to be a doctor, switched to law, then to journalism, then talked his way into radio.
He wonders whether he needs to prepare his boys, aged 5 and 12, for the not-yet-invented careers that will lead them from job to job in the future. Definitely, says Lisa.
Start by introducing your children to your world of work – “This is where I go every day, this is what I do” – even if you don’t expect them to follow in your footsteps.
As early as you can, get your children to start thinking about their passions, their interests, their skills and their dreams.
“Don’t become prescriptive,” says Lisa. “That doesn’t work. Have a conversation.”
Her ultimate advice for parents wanting to help their children choose the career of their dreams? “Eat meals together,” says Lisa.
It’s at the dinner table, after a hard day at school and work, that those wild, drifting thoughts and plans can be set free to kick-start the careers that will shape our memories of the future.
- For more on how to help your children choose the jobs that will define their future, watch the full BrightRock Iris Session below:
- This article first appeared on the Change Exchange, an online platform by BrightRock, provider of the first-ever life insurance that changes as your life changes. The opinions expressed in this piece don’t necessarily reflect the views of BrightRock.
