If your child is not interested in going to university/college, it’s essential to have open, honest and supportive chat with them. Here are some pieces of advice that I have picked up over the 20 years I’ve been in teaching:
- Explore Alternative Paths: Let your child know that there are various career paths and opportunities outside of traditional university education. Strongly encourage them to explore vocational training, apprenticeships, or specialized courses that align with their interests and goals. There’s a ton of online educational courses but it’s crucial that your child does the research themselves! They need to be proactive and show initiative.
- Identify Interests and Passions: Help your child identify their interests, passions, and strengths. Discuss how they can pursue a career or develop skills in areas they genuinely enjoy. Write out all these ideas on a big piece of paper too and stick it up on the kitchen wall.
- Research Career Options: Assist your child in researching different career options that don’t require a university degree. Show them real-life examples of successful individuals who have achieved their goals through alternative routes. Bill Gates did drop out of Harvard!
- Talk to Professionals: Encourage your child to speak with professionals working in fields of interest. This can provide valuable insights into the industry and help them understand the necessary qualifications or training needed. Use up all your contacts here – dive into Facebook and harass all your old friends or random travel buddies and put them in direct contact with your child.
- Consider Gap Year: If your child is unsure about their future plans, suggest the idea of taking a gap year to gain new experiences, volunteer, travel, or work part-time. This break can give them time to reflect on their goals and aspirations. This is my absolute favourite option but it’s important that your child doesn’t ‘waste’ the year by sitting around at home playing Fortnite and watching Netflix! If you let them do this, then you’re possibly part of the problem here!
- Set Clear Goals: Encourage your child to set clear short-term and long-term goals, regardless of whether they choose to pursue higher education. This can provide direction and motivation for their chosen path.
- Financial Considerations: Discuss the financial aspects of their decision. Help them understand the potential costs and benefits of different options, including earning potential and student loan burdens.
- Support Autonomy: Respect your child’s decision and support their autonomy. It’s important for them to feel that they have the freedom to make choices and if it doesn’t work out, they can always apply to university further down the road.
- Plan for Continuous Learning: Emphasize the importance of lifelong learning and skill development, regardless of the educational path they choose. Learning doesn’t end with formal education, and there are many opportunities to acquire knowledge and expertise throughout life. Udemy and Coursera have heaps of online courses that can really help a young person’s career and alot of them are completely free.
- Encourage Networking: Encourage your child to build a professional network early on. Networking can open doors to various opportunities and help them find mentors and guidance in their chosen field. I wish my parents had told me about the power of networking from an early age. I can’t stress how important this is.
- Gary Vaynerchuk/Alex Hormozi/Steven Bartlett and other entrepreneurs: Encourage your child to devour the content of these super-rich, hard-working and ingenious entrepreneurs on YouTube and wherever you get your Podcasts from. Maybe one of these entrepreneurs will inspire your child to create a successful business.
Ultimately, it’s essential to respect your child’s individuality and unique aspirations. While higher education can be a valuable option for many, it’s not the only path to success and fulfillment. The key is to guide them in making informed decisions and supporting them in achieving their dreams, whatever they may be. Please try to avoid living out your own dreams through your child – often doesn’t end well.
Check out the following links to help navigate the journey for you and your child:
Great Gary V video on YouTube but be warned – Gary Vee likes to occasionally swear!!: Gary Vee Advice
Has your child chosen a different career path that did not included university? How did they get on? Is university worth the time and investment in today’s world? I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue in the comments below.