Engineers, electricians, and builders are the top careers parents would like their children to pursue – with two in five hoping their kids will end up in a trade, instead of an office-based job, a study has found.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents, with children under the age of 16, think a career as a tradesperson is something to be proud of, according to a poll of 2,000 mums and dads.
The top draws to such a career path, according to parents, include making a positive difference to customers (40%), always having work available (39%), and a decent salary (37%).
Being your own boss, and managing your own work-life balance, also ranked highly for a third (32%) of the parents polled.
And the study revealed that six in ten mums and dads have encouraged their youngsters to learn a skill like plumbing or engineering, or to become a car mechanic.
In fact, 51% regret not pursuing a more practical career themselves – as 56% wish they could have made more of a difference to people’s lives in their jobs.
The research was commissioned by British Gas, which has committed to creating 3,500 apprenticeships over the next decade.
James Jennings, apprenticeship manager at the energy and home services provider, said: “It’s really encouraging to see that taking up a trade is becoming more desirable among younger people, and it’s good to know parents are supportive of this decision.
“Practical careers provide the chance to make a tangible difference to people’s lives as well as helping out in local communities, which can be extremely rewarding.”
The study found that more than three in ten parents would want their child to become an engineer (32%) or electrician (31%), while 28% hope their youngsters choose to be a builder.
More than two in five parents (42%) love the idea of their child learning valuable skills to set them up for life, with 65% believing these are becoming more varied due to ever-evolving technology.
It also emerged that 43% have immediate family members who are in a trade – and 37% think their son or daughter is likely to end up doing the same because of this.
But, according to the OnePoll study, three in ten parents (29%) said if this does become their child’s career choice, it will be because they have a genuine interest in it.
And two-thirds would be happy for their offspring to take on an apprenticeship to see if it suited them.
It also emerged 68% believe tradespeople have an important role to play in the future of our society, and 54% think they make a real difference to people’s lives through their work.
And more than a quarter (26%) reckon there is a rise in younger people opting for a career in a trade.
Robert McGrath, trainee gas engineer at British Gas, said: “Apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for anyone who is curious about pursuing a more practical occupation, whether starting out their career or searching for a change.
“After serving 23 years in the military, I decided it was time for a new challenge – one that offered a better work-life balance, and the chance to positively impact people's lives.
“It’s so satisfying to go into people’s homes and help them in their hour of need, leaving again having fixed the problem and feeling good about my role in that.”
The British Gas apprentices will train in green skills to reach net-zero – such as installing electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps – and includes a recent commitment to hire 500 former armed forces recruits to re-train as engineers.
