Why our boys are ‘losing their way’ when it comes to making a career choice: Dr Darryl Cross
Boys are five times less likely to know which industry they want to work than girls — sparking calls to revamp how parents and educators support teenagers in their formative years.
Boys and young men are increasingly struggling to find their identity and it’s fuelling self doubt when it comes to making a career choice.
A survey has found boys are five times less likely to know which industry to aspire to than girls.
Veteran Adelaide career adviser and psychologist Darryl Cross says the results can largely be explained by the fact that in 2019 many boys have “lost their way”.
“This is part of a wider issue where generally speaking, with the rise of females in all sectors, males have tended to lose their way and lose their identity, especially young males,” he says.
“This includes not being able to really find the career that plays to their strengths.
“If you don’t know who you are, and therefore don’t know your strengths, then how can you chose a career that plays to those strengths?”
A survey of 1,600 young people aged between 15 and 21 by national digital platform Year13 found 45 per cent of boys are unsure which industry they aspire to, compared to 9 per cent of girls.
The survey also shows girls are taking on careers that were once male dominated with almost one in four girls (23 per cent) considering a career in science, technology, IT or engineering.
Dr Cross says while it’s positive to see many more girls look to careers in this space, boys are feeling less certain about their career paths and aren’t taking up careers traditionally held by women in the same way.
According to the survey, five times as many girls than boys plan to enter areas destined for future growth, such as healthcare and social services.
Dr Cross says this is problematic, particularly on the back of news this week South Australia has the worst jobless rate the nation.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows that 62,900 people were looking for a job in SA last month, 8200 more than the month before.
“Boys can’t now feel that they dominate in any one area and this impacts on their overall perspective on life and can also impact their self-image,” he says.
“(At the same time) females are still considered to be feeling-oriented and more empathetic than males and there is little incentive for (men) to enter the service career.”
Dr Cross believes both parents and educators need to get better at helping students prepare for life after school, and at supporting both boys and girls to make career choices.
The research, recently commissioned by the NSW Government, also found 27 per cent of young people say their parents have a negative view of vocational education and training, potentially discouraging them from these pathways.
And that 85 per cent of boys feel pressured into university, compared to 74 per cent of females.
“Of course, parents generally want what is best for their children but most parents are completely out of touch with careers and with schooling for that matter and have no idea how to assist their children in the area of careers,” Dr Cross said.
“The tragic part is that schools generally don’t either. Schools are about a good ATAR to make themselves look good and that’s about it.
“It’s no wonder that about 30 per cent of uni students drop out in their first year — what a huge waste of money and time not to mention the impact on self-esteem and confidence for the individual.”