Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

  1. #1
    HEXUS.timelord. Zak33's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    I'm a Jessie
    Posts
    35,176
    Thanks
    3,121
    Thanked
    3,173 times in 1,922 posts
    • Zak33's system
      • Storage:
      • Kingston HyperX SSD, Hitachi 1Tb
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Nvidia 1050
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster 800w
      • Case:
      • Silverstone Fortress FT01
      • Operating System:
      • Win10
      • Internet:
      • Zen FTC uber speedy

    Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    Parents' jobs advice 'disconnected' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27785293

    I think this article may be scarily true

    If it is...then the survey conducted by O2 covering 2000 parents scares me into asking- " are YOU giving your kids the wrong advice?"

    Quote Originally Posted by Microsoft dude
    Hugh Milward, director of corporate affairs at Microsoft, said he "welcomed" the addition of the computing curriculum as it was "absolutely critical" for the success of Britain's young people.

    "In the software industry alone there are 20,000 graduate vacancies a year, and only 7,500 computer science graduates to fill them", he said.

  2. #2
    Bah Humbug. Dooms's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Stockholm
    Posts
    3,325
    Thanks
    94
    Thanked
    183 times in 141 posts
    • Dooms's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte X570 I AORUS PRO WIFI
      • CPU:
      • 3700X
      • Memory:
      • G.SKILL TridentZ Series 32GB (2 x 16GB)
      • Storage:
      • Samsung 970 1TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA 2080 Super
      • PSU:
      • 750W Corsair Pro
      • Case:
      • Ncase M1 6.1
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 11 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • LG 34UC88 34-Inch 21:9
      • Internet:
      • 1GB Telenor

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    I can understand this. I mean my parents aren't tech savy in the slightest so wouldn't even know where to start when pointing someone towards a technical role and how can you give advice on something you know nothing about?

    The thing that worries me is:

    "One in 10 of 2,000 parents said they would "actively discourage" their kids from digital jobs such as coding."

    "O2 said 23% of parents in the survey thought such skills were "irrelevant"."

    This is just being stupid. Even if you have no idea what 'digital' career roles exist out there anyone in the world today should be able to see how big an industry it is. Plus the fact why would any parent 'actively discourage' anything positive that your child has shown interest in?

  3. #3
    Senior Member MrRockliffe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    1,586
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    133 times in 112 posts
    • MrRockliffe's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Z270i Strix
      • CPU:
      • i7 6700K
      • Memory:
      • 16GB DDR4 Vengeance
      • Storage:
      • 500GB 850 Evo, 500GB 860 EVO
      • Graphics card(s):
      • MSI GTX 1070 Ti Gaming
      • PSU:
      • 550W Supernova G2
      • Case:
      • NZXT H200
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q
      • Internet:
      • Hyperoptic 150Mb

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    My parents have always encouraged me to go into technology and computing - they've said it's where the money will be in years to come (that was 8 ish years ago). They also said it's more important to do what I enjoy. Luckily, I enjoy computing, but even so, I don't think I'll end up in that area. The level of teaching at A-level is atrocious.. I have friends that are learning the different types of PCI slots and other ports on a motherboard - AT A-LEVEL!! Disgusting. If the government actually put money into teaching it, maybe people would be better educated?
    XBOX Live - Sheep Sardine | Origin - MrRockliffe | Steam - MrRockliffe |

    Add me

  4. #4
    The late but legendary peterb - Onward and Upward peterb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Looking down & checking on swearing
    Posts
    19,378
    Thanks
    2,892
    Thanked
    3,403 times in 2,693 posts

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    Quote Originally Posted by MrRockliffe View Post
    My parents have always encouraged me to go into technology and computing - they've said it's where the money will be in years to come (that was 8 ish years ago). They also said it's more important to do what I enjoy. Luckily, I enjoy computing, but even so, I don't think I'll end up in that area. The level of teaching at A-level is atrocious.. I have friends that are learning the different types of PCI slots and other ports on a motherboard - AT A-LEVEL!! Disgusting. If the government actually put money into teaching it, maybe people would be better educated?
    There is a large difference berween coding and software design/engineering, and another for computer science.

    But a god grounding in Maths and Physics at 'A' level will open those doors for you, as well as many other technology and engineering careers.

    Doctors don't do medicine at 'A' level, they get the basic tools in subjects like Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, to equip them for the courses that follow on.

    As for careers advice, 'm not sure parents can always offer specific career advice, but they can encourage their offspring to be open minded when looking at carerr paths, and then get the qualifications to realise that career.
    (\__/)
    (='.'=)
    (")_(")

    Been helped or just 'Like' a post? Use the Thanks button!
    My broadband speed - 750 Meganibbles/minute

  5. #5
    Senior Member MrRockliffe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Hampshire
    Posts
    1,586
    Thanks
    228
    Thanked
    133 times in 112 posts
    • MrRockliffe's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Z270i Strix
      • CPU:
      • i7 6700K
      • Memory:
      • 16GB DDR4 Vengeance
      • Storage:
      • 500GB 850 Evo, 500GB 860 EVO
      • Graphics card(s):
      • MSI GTX 1070 Ti Gaming
      • PSU:
      • 550W Supernova G2
      • Case:
      • NZXT H200
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q
      • Internet:
      • Hyperoptic 150Mb

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    Quote Originally Posted by peterb View Post
    There is a large difference berween coding and software design/engineering, and another for computer science.

    But a god grounding in Maths and Physics at 'A' level will open those doors for you, as well as many other technology and engineering careers.

    Doctors don't do medicine at 'A' level, they get the basic tools in subjects like Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, to equip them for the courses that follow on.

    As for careers advice, 'm not sure parents can always offer specific career advice, but they can encourage their offspring to be open minded when looking at carerr paths, and then get the qualifications to realise that career.
    Oh I understand, I was just stating that for computer science (which is part of computing course here) they're only just learning about motherboards. I was trying to get at that they should invest more money in teaching kids technology, because it's all around us and so many people don't even understand how most of it (and some people possibly all of it) works. I was watching a video the other day which was an interview, and the person being interviewed said PCB, and the interviewer said that's printed circuit board for those that don't know, and then went on to explain it further - if you're watching videos about technology I'm sure you'd know, but so many people don't - I don't understand how the future can be all about technology if so many people still don't understand it!
    XBOX Live - Sheep Sardine | Origin - MrRockliffe | Steam - MrRockliffe |

    Add me

  6. #6
    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Gateshead
    Posts
    15,196
    Thanks
    1,231
    Thanked
    2,291 times in 1,874 posts
    • scaryjim's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Dell Inspiron
      • CPU:
      • Core i5 8250U
      • Memory:
      • 2x 4GB DDR4 2666
      • Storage:
      • 128GB M.2 SSD + 1TB HDD
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Radeon R5 230
      • PSU:
      • Battery/Dell brick
      • Case:
      • Dell Inspiron 5570
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10
      • Monitor(s):
      • 15" 1080p laptop panel

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Dooms View Post
    he thing that worries me is:

    "One in 10 of 2,000 parents said they would "actively discourage" their kids from digital jobs such as coding."

    ...

    This is just being stupid.
    I'm a jack-of-all-trades tech, I've done a number of out-and-out coding/programming jobs, and hells yes I would actively discourage my child from going in a "job such as coding" - it can be incredibly unrewarding and soul-destroying. And more to the point, learning "coding" is a horrible way to learn about computers in general, and often produces bad programmers. I can't see a single pupil suddenly deciding they want to go into computer science because they've been taught to "write code" at school: the best you'll achieve is to get a few people who would've done it anyway to start earlier - and do we really want to start segregating children into future career paths earlier?

    I've got a couple of other issues with this as reported by the BBC too - for instance, it says nothing about the ages of the parents or the children surveyed (and yes, that makes a massive difference). And it was commissioned by O2, a large corporation. So you've got to ask what their incentive is to do this: you can guarantee that they won't have invested money have this research done without having some plan to monetise the results....

    Plus, here's the ultimate shock: parents are not the best people to give career advice! Who'd've thought that people with no knowledge of or training in careers advice would give bad career advice? I know as parents we like to think we know best for our kids, but really sometimes we should probably take a moment to reflect on what we do and don't know....

  7. #7
    Treasure Hunter extraordinaire herulach's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Bolton
    Posts
    5,618
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked
    172 times in 159 posts
    • herulach's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI Z97 MPower
      • CPU:
      • i7 4790K
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 1TB WD Blue + 250GB 840 EVo
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 2* Palit GTX 970 Jetstream
      • PSU:
      • EVGA Supernova G2 850W
      • Case:
      • CM HAF Stacker 935, 2*360 Rad WC Loop w/EK blocks.
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 8.1
      • Monitor(s):
      • Crossover 290HD & LG L1980Q
      • Internet:
      • 120mb Virgin Media

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    Quote Originally Posted by scaryjim View Post
    I'm a jack-of-all-trades tech, I've done a number of out-and-out coding/programming jobs, and hells yes I would actively discourage my child from going in a "job such as coding" - it can be incredibly unrewarding and soul-destroying. And more to the point, learning "coding" is a horrible way to learn about computers in general, and often produces bad programmers. I can't see a single pupil suddenly deciding they want to go into computer science because they've been taught to "write code" at school: the best you'll achieve is to get a few people who would've done it anyway to start earlier - and do we really want to start segregating children into future career paths earlier?

    I've got a couple of other issues with this as reported by the BBC too - for instance, it says nothing about the ages of the parents or the children surveyed (and yes, that makes a massive difference). And it was commissioned by O2, a large corporation. So you've got to ask what their incentive is to do this: you can guarantee that they won't have invested money have this research done without having some plan to monetise the results....

    Plus, here's the ultimate shock: parents are not the best people to give career advice! Who'd've thought that people with no knowledge of or training in careers advice would give bad career advice? I know as parents we like to think we know best for our kids, but really sometimes we should probably take a moment to reflect on what we do and don't know....
    This, I'd put money on a lot of those parents being in the IT industry and seeing the kind of bollocks programmers have to cope with only a daily basis. With a few notable exceptions there's not a lot of money in it. I'm only tangential involved in it professionally and wouldn't encourage my kids into it.

  8. #8
    MCRN Tachi Ttaskmaster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Reading, UK
    Posts
    6,917
    Thanks
    672
    Thanked
    806 times in 668 posts
    • Ttaskmaster's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Aorus Master X670E
      • CPU:
      • Ryzen 7800X3D
      • Memory:
      • 32GB Corsair Dominator DDR5 6000MHz
      • Storage:
      • Samsung Evo 120GB and Seagate Baracuda 2TB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Aorus Master 4090
      • PSU:
      • EVGA Supernova G2 1000W
      • Case:
      • Lian Li V3000 Plus
      • Operating System:
      • Win11
      • Monitor(s):
      • Gigabyte M32U
      • Internet:
      • 900Mbps Gigaclear WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

    Re: Parents are giving their kids bad career advice

    I believe I understand at least some of the reasoning behind this 'bad' advice...

    OK, so you're gonna be a coder...
    What language will you learn?
    When I was younger, it was BASIC and UNIX. Then it was C++, then COBOL, then this, then that, courses, courses, courses.
    Add to that all your qualifications - MSCA, MCSE, CNA, CNE, TLA, TLA, TLA...

    I do actually know a couple of 'coders', who started out learning, with grand visions of becoming major players in the amazing world of computing... Instead, they are both in their 40s have remained career students. Neither have had paying jobs, yet somehow remain able to sustain their lives while being full-time Uni students. Each probably knows enough to program a robot that can design and build a whole planet... but there's always something new they have to go learn.

    But OK, so you get your bits and go off into the market to become a coder.
    Good luck - There are usually no jobs and even when you do get one, the studio closes down and you're off looking again... or worse, a competitor comes out with a rival product and your project/pay is put on hold while all manner of legal issues are battled over.
    That happens to most of the coders I know. A couple have gotten lucky and bounced from project to project just in the nick of time.
    Even in the larger studios, several are still waiting on their wages from projects over 2 years old.

    But even they are always on some training course or other, learning new languages and engines. By the time they are certified, qualified and working in the most cutting-edgiest technology, they're already obsolete!


    By contrast, humans will always need doctors, engineers and so on. The fundamentals do not really change much and even then, only with BIG new discoveries in the bio-chem-phys fields of study... which then takes a while to filter through into technology anyway.


    The biggest factor is, IMO, life in a modern company in general.
    Once upon a time Civil Engineering was a good bet. Not that highly paid, but good enough and secure. My own company was considered a 'job-for-life' kind of place.
    We're now owned by Australia and China, our assets have all been sold or mortgaged off, our workforce has been shrunk to almost one-tenth, the work is outsourced to cheap contractors, the Chartered Engineers have all been made redundant or 'reprofiled' to the much lower-paid title of 'Advisor', the pension fund has been nearly depleted (it's still legal to do this under certain circumstances until next year) and all our profit gets paid out to the shareholders.
    The old hands still clinging on are simply marking time until the regulator steps in and makes us a publicly owned entity again!

    Ours is still considered a good lot, though.
    There is very little 'working your way up' any more and people aren't even expected to stay in jobs for more than a few years.

    For many people, it is hell out here... and you want to send your kid into the über-competitive world of technology industry?

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •