Three in four Australian teenagers already feel relatively certain about the kind of job they will have by the time they turn 30 years old, with the internet, quizzes and career advisors helping to guide their choices.
But they may not be choosing the jobs with the best employment outcomes, or the ones that suit their interests the most.
The 2025 OECD report The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation, reveals a third of students globally feel pressure from their families to follow a specific career path, with 10 per cent of all students feeling very strong pressure.
In Australia, 69 per cent of teens feel well-informed about possible paths beyond Year 12, compared to the OECD average of 66 per cent.
It states more than 60 per cent of Australian teenagers want to work as a professional in the fields of science and engineering, healthcare, teaching, business administration, information and communications technology, and legal/social/cultural professions.
Only 18 per cent of boys and 2 per cent of girls expect to work in skilled trades.
However, that is in contrast to Jobs and Skills Australia data finding employers in every state and territory bar the ACT are hiring more workers with a vocational education and training (VET) qualification (52 per cent) than a university degree (36 per cent).
WHERE TEENS ARE GETTING CAREER INFORMATION
The OECD report finds young people are most likely to have searched the internet (80 per cent) to find information about careers, with undertaking a quiz or questionnaire (71 per cent) also a popular option.
Most (68 per cent) of teenagers have spoken to a career advisor at their school at least once.
About one in two teenagers (52 per cent) have attended at least one career fair.
However, getting real-life work experience is among the lowest options explored.
Only 47 per cent had completed an internship or a work placement, while even fewer (35 per cent) teenagers had visited a work site or shadowed someone working in a job they were interested in.
However, it is the real work environment that is proving to be the best place for many young people to explore options, as well as get the basic skills they need to embark on their careers.
Read on to discover how vocational education and training is helping many to confirm or rediscover their true calling.
STUDY A VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATE AT SCHOOL
Benjamin Barker, 21, loved tinkering around in the shed on old cars and motorbikes with his grandfather, so wanted to do that for a living.
When he got to Year 11 at school, he opted to do a VET in Schools course – a Certificate II in Automotive.
At his school, it was one of the subject selections offered, so it was easy for him to enrol and start getting the basic practical skills and hands-on learning in mechanics that he wanted to pursue.
FIND OUT HOW: VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING INFORMATION FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Not only did it confirm that it was the job for them, but it put his career on the fast track.
Thanks to the skills he gained through his Certificate II, he was able to get an apprenticeship/Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology to become a heavy vehicle diesel mechanic.
He knuckled down and completed his four-year apprenticeship within two years.
He was soon promoted and is now a leading hand at his company, helping to run a workshop with seven crew members maintaining more than 100 heavy vehicles.
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He says not only does he enjoy his job but he is working in a field that has a high demand for workers, which provides job security.
“We’re seeing some of the biggest career shortages of all time – especially in my trade, we’re at an all-time low for (the number of people working as) heavy diesel mechanics,” he says.
“These trades are essential but they are also rewarding.
“You’re not only building yourself a hands-on future, you’re securing yourself a career.”
Benjamin now wants to do further training to add to his skill base.
“You’re qualified and you can continue getting qualifications after the first one, after the second one and you can build yourself quite a successful career,” he says.
“I’m considering doing my Certificate III in Auto Electronics to become an auto electrician, so I’ll try to be dual trade by the next two or three years.”
SWITCH SCHOOLS TO EXPLORE MORE OPTIONS
Carly Brown, 19, had four vocational certificates completed by the time she finished high school – and had completely changed the field in which she decided to pursue a career.
Carly hadn’t enjoyed the academic environment at her first high school, so when her careers advisor suggested she look into careers that might suit her hobbies, she decided engineering would be a great choice for her.
She had spotted a friend’s online post about her switch from a regular high school to a trade school, and when she looked into it herself, decided to transfer, too.
“I enrolled in Year 10 to do engineering and they also had taste tests for all the rest of the trades,” she says.
“The first certificate was the Certificate II in Engineering and the next one was a Certificate II in Electrical and the last two were a Certificate II in Plumbing and Certificate II in Automotive.
“I really enjoyed engineering a lot, but I found (through the experience) it was a bit heavy for me, so that was what made-up my mind about not not completing an apprenticeship and that.
“I found that electrical was my favourite from all those trades.”
Carly is now enjoying her electrotechnology apprenticeship to become an electrician.
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She recommends other young people to use the internet to explore their career options.
“There’s so many career options that are available that we just don’t even know about all those we could be doing,” she says.
“Research online, learn what you can do related to your hobbies or join Facebook groups or Instagram groups and connect with people and see what they’re doing.
“Just network and speak to people about what they’re doing and try to gather as much information about what you could be doing, but in relation to what you enjoy doing so that you’re not doing something that you don’t like.”
Even if students do not pursue a career in the occupation or industry in which they completed their VET in Schools qualification, the experience can inspire them to try other fields and gain other skills that put them on the path to what they truly want to do.
UQ Skills director Dane Ivicevic says vocational education and training can also be a confidence builder.
“It helps students see themselves in education, often for the first time,” he says.
“It’s not just a pathway, it’s a platform for aspiration.
“VET isn’t just about where you go next, it’s about who you become along the way.”
TAKE A GAP YEAR TO EXPLORE IF YOUR CHOICE IS CORRECT
Almira Dall, 21, received an early university entrance offer to Bachelor of Animal Science, with a focus on horses.
She knew she wanted to work with animals as a career, but decided to take three to six months off before starting her degree and get some practical farm experience first – then never went to uni.
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Her farm experience led to her completely reframing her career, not only pursuing vocational education and training (VET) over university but also discovering a passion for working with dairy cattle instead of horses.
“I never actually ended up going to uni because I realised that I got the education I wanted from being able to do this traineeship while working full time as well, which I found really useful,” she says.
“I was always sort of pushed towards the uni pathway – that’s what my school was pushing us towards.
“I didn’t really ever get the chance to really look at other options because that’s what was presented to me.
“I didn’t mind that because at the time I wanted to go to university and that’s where I was aiming towards, but I didn’t really have an end goal in mind at that time.”
While working on the farm, she did miss learning new things, so her mum suggested she study a TAFE course related to agriculture.
She found a traineeship offered by a nearby dairy and TAFE.
She completed a Certificate III in Agricultural Dairy Production as part of the traineeship. Since then, she has gone on to further study, undertaking a Certificate IV in Agriculture.
When thinking about career choices, broaden your outlook and Explore All The Options
Cara Jenkin is a freelance journalist with more than 20 years’ experience working in the print, digital and television media. It included 10 years as the editor of NewsCorp’s Careers employment section, covering topics ranging from education and training to workplace career advice.