Should my child go to university or enter a trade?

It can be difficult helping your teen decide what they’re going to do when they finish high school. With so many different options it’s not always easy to know how you can best help or advise them on their next step in life. COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis have had an impact on how some high school leavers will consider their future and determine what is the right pathway for them. Long-term employment goals and personal interests need to be considered when a student is deciding if they should carry on to tertiary study or not.

Ideally, students will be able to study what they enjoy and where their passion lies as this means they are more likely to excel. Some high school students will select their choice of study or their life plan on what can provide future job security. As the economy evolves and settles again, this may influence some teenagers in their decision to choose to start university study or to take up a trade profession. Despite the unknowns, there are advantages to both options, so the decision depends on what your child would like to do for future job preferences and how they choose to get there. Here are some things to consider when helping your teen decide on their future:

What kind of career do they want to have?

_{Your child should consider the kind of industry they want to work to and the skills they’ll need to succeed in it.}

The choice between choosing a trade apprenticeship or a university qualification really comes down to what your child wants to do for their career. Trade apprenticeships are stereotypically viewed as a route to a career that involves practical hands-on work. In the same vein, universities are traditionally thought of as institutions that provide training without practical experience. We’d encourage you and your child to think beyond these traditional stereotypes. After completing an apprenticeship and spending several years in a chosen trade, they might decide to use their experience to start their own business with their trade skills. At this stage of their career, they might also choose to go back into the classroom and complete some tertiary study to build their business know-how and people management skills.

University education isn’t all writing essays and reading books, particularly for students at AUT. Many programmes like business, engineering, sport and recreation, education, art and design and creative technologies are focused on building practical experience, with work placements, internships and hands-on learning an integral part of many degree courses.

It’s not a simple choice between a physical job and an office job anymore. Instead, the choice comes down to the industry your child wants to work in and the skills they’ll need to develop to succeed in it. And the skills requirements will likely change over the years, taking them in and out of study along the way. With the way the workplace and technologies are changing at such a rapid pace, these skills mean graduates will be nimble and able to upskill and continue learning throughout their career, whether they spend their days in an office, a research lab, a health clinic, a gallery or a law firm, on a construction site, or teaching others themselves...their future is an open book.

Consider the opportunities each pathway offers

_{Universities are more flexible than ever, offering part-time study options so you can study and work at the same time.}

One of the pros generally pushed by proponents of entering a trade is that a career in a trade enables someone to enter the workforce sooner. There is something to be said for diving right in, and if your teenager has their sights set on pursuing a trade straight after school then it’s important to support them. Ask them about their reasons for choosing this career path. Are they tired of studying or are they choosing an option they see as a financially secure start? Maybe they’re keen to start earning money so they can live independently? Having these kinds of discussions is important as you can help them to weigh up the pros and cons.

If they choose to go to university, they’ll still be able to work but will be expected to devote a large amount of time to study, which does reduce their earning potential for those years of study. However, there are ways they can jump into the workforce after school and get a university education. Tertiary institutions can offer flexible and part-time study options that let students work part-time outside of their studies. Workplace experience and internships taken as part of a degree can be a valuable steppingstone to landing a great job once they graduate.

Having a university degree can provide opportunities, as AUT graduate Pablo Fernandez recognised. “My university degree has opened so many doors, both professionally and academically,” he says. “In terms of employment, I found a permanent full-time position in my field of study when I was about to complete my degree. I have never been unemployed after that, and in fact, I have been able to find a better job each time.”

In Pablo’s case, his degree gave him the opportunity to study overseas. He felt this added to his personal, cultural and professional life experience. Pablo progressed through university to postgraduate level and kept his options open for the possibility to continue studying at a doctoral level. He said, “I would have never been able to do all these things without a university qualification.”

Weigh up the opportunities that each pathway will offer your child and consider which one will be most beneficial to them in the future.

Where does your child’s passion lie?

_{The decision on what your child does for a career should come down to what they love doing.}

Ultimately, there are many things to consider when deciding upon a career path. While earning potential is something to think about, your child’s decision should come down to what they love doing. After all, if they’re going to expend time and energy developing skills in a particular area, they should enjoy it! Encourage them to think about the following questions:

• Can they see themselves in their chosen career in 5 years or 10 years?
• Are they okay with working on a casual or part-time basis for a few years while they study, or would they prefer to jump straight into the workforce?
• Is there another option, such as taking time to live elsewhere, or do some volunteer work or travel around New Zealand, that would be more beneficial for them right now?

Remember that in addition to choosing a trade or going to university, there are other options that your child might want to explore. They could do some volunteering, travel, take on an internship/work experience or a full-time job while they figure out what they want. Not everyone knows what they want to do when they finish school, and sometimes pressure to decide can mean high school leavers end up doing something for the sake of it rather than because they enjoy it. They should take some time to think about their future instead of rushing into things, as this will increase their chances of being successful in the career they eventually choose.

Remember they’re not locked in for life

_{Millennials switch jobs much more often than older generations, so whatever your child chooses right now will probably change in the future.}

Whereas once upon a time people went straight into their chosen profession after school and remained in it until retirement, this doesn’t hold true anymore. Your teen will likely find themselves in many different roles throughout their lives. Changing careers is not uncommon.

Just because your teen starts out doing a trade it doesn’t mean they can’t decide to study at university down the track. The option to study as a mature-aged student or at postgraduate level is always open. Similarly, if your child starts a university programme but decides tertiary study isn’t for them, that’s okay too. Sometimes they will need to try something to know what is best for them.

The choice of choosing between a university and or a trade often comes down to the industry your child wants to work in and the skills they’ll need to develop to succeed in it. Weigh up the pros and cons of each option together with your teen and encourage them to choose what will benefit them and bring them long-term fulfilment. They’ll thank you for your guidance and support!