How to Safely Land a Helicopter Parent John Pritchett MS, LPC, GCDF Waukesha County Technical College Career Development Services

Parent Concerns for their Children Happy Healthy Safe Successful Self Supporting

Helicopter Parents Helicopter Parents What is the difference between a concerned and helicopter parent?

What is a “Helicopter Parent”? A person who pays extremely close attention to his/her child; termed due to “hovering” closely overhead, whether their children need them or not. First reference to this term, by Cline and Fay in 1990 "Parenting with Love and Logic: Teaching Children Responsibility". College administrators began using term in the early 2000’s as the Millennial Generation began reaching college age. Hovering is increasing in the PreK-12 environment and among employers in the hiring process.

Helicopter Parents

The Research: 38% of students reported that parents had called or attended meetings with academic advisors. 31% of students reported that their parents had called professors to complain about a grade. Vanguard Group: 7 of 10 college recruits that are offered positions state "'Let me talk to my parents. I'll get back to you.“ According to the 2006 Recruiting Trends, 31% of employers reported receiving student resumes from parents. Parents have highest influence on career choice for Generation X (31%) and Millennials (42%)

Helicopter Parents in School and the Workplace = &affil=&debug=&catId =&id= us&brand=msnbc&vid=47ed b6bd-b66c9bc9a1c1

Landing Plans for Helicopter Parents

Parents as Partners in Career Planning

Parents as Partners in Career Planning - Workshops Communication and Career Planning using the MBTI Realizing the Dream Post High School Options

Communication and Career Planning using the MBTI Personality types are used as a tool to aid in communication between parents and their children MBTI results are used to explore careers based on type and temperament

Realizing The Dream Designed for parents along with their students in 7 th through 8 th grades. Parents help students identify interests, abilities, and work preferences. Participants learn about current and future trends in the labor market. Students explore potential careers based on the results of career exploration activities.

Post High School Options Agenda Workshop Overview Welcome / Registrations / Introductions The Career Planning Process The Career Constellation Decision Making Goal Setting Post High School Education and Training Options Page 1

Post High School Options Agenda Labor Market Trends Career Assessments IDEAS (Interest Assessment) WISCareers How Parents can Help Informational Interviewing Occupational Family Tree Career Development Services – Web Links Page 2

The Career Constellation “Most people consider their career to be a series of progressive and related jobs or occupations, but a career is what we do to make a life, not just earn a living.” LeeAnn Bernier-Clarke, MEd, NCC, NCCC

Choosing a career is a big decision Planning for the future is not something you do once. It's an ongoing process. Career planning has three steps that your child will cycle through and repeat throughout his or her working life.

The Career Planning Process

The Three Steps in the Career Planning Process Step One: Know yourself Evaluate yourself—your interests, abilities, skills, and work values. Step Two: Explore options and choose a direction Gather information to consider regarding career options that relate to what you know about yourself. Step Three: Make plans and take action Consider issues that can affect your plans and take appropriate actions to accomplish your goals.

Post-High School Education and Training Options On-the-Job Training Military Apprenticeship Trade School Technical College Community College 4-Year College

Reasons noted as “very important” in deciding to go to college To learn more about things that interest me 76.8 % To be able to get a better job70.4 To get training for a specific career 69.2 To be able to make more money 69.0 To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas 64.3 To prepare myself for graduate or professional school 57.7 To make me a more cultured person41.7%

Reasons noted as “very important” in deciding to go to college Parents wanted me to go46.4% Wanted to get away from home21.1% A mentor or role model encouraged me to go 17.2% I could not find a job 5.6% Nothing better to do 4.1%

College-Going Decisions 46.4% cite “parents wanted me to go” as a very important reason

College-Going Decisions Why go to any college? 21.1% – to get away from home 8.7% in 1978 Why pick your particular college? 19.6% – Living near home was very important reason in selecting college

College-Going Decisions Parental influence at both ends of the spectrum Students go to college near home Students go to college to get away from home

Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Graduate School of Education & Information Studies University of California, Los Angeles The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2006 Sylvia Hurtado & John H. Pryor January 19, 2007

Labor Market Trends Current Recession Training Requirements Aging Workforce Job vs. Career Security Did You Know?

U.S. jobs most in demand, Skilled trades (mechanics, electricians, welders) 2. Sales representatives 3. Nurses 4. Technicians 5. Drivers

U.S. jobs most in demand, Restaurants, hotel staff 7. Management/executives 8. Engineers 9. Doctors 10. Customer support and service Source: Manpower Inc.

New and Emerging Industries Water Supply Systems Science and technology R&D Clean energy and power plants Transportation systems Agricultural technologies and solutions Promoting sustainable living Source: The Futurist may-June 2010

Projected Labor Force Entrants and Exiters, Wisconsin,

When Gray is Golden Business in an Aging America Health Care Home Products Recreation and Leisure Services Financial Services and Products Educational Services Business Consulting Wellness and Youth-Enhancing Products Source: The Futurist July-August 1992

Job Security ”is the probability that an individual will keep his or her job; a job with a high level of job security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of becoming unemployed.” Source-Wikipedia

Career Path In the past, a person’s career path was often like an escalator ride!

Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) “The developments at Rockwell Automation are hardly unique to Milwaukee - or to America. Globalization has transformed our economy at its core, and no amount of coaxing will put the genie back into the bottle.” Source: One Union’s Demise by John Gurda

Career Security “It’s the ability to stay employed in jobs of our choosing, regardless of the economic situation in any country or the financial condition of any one employer.” “Career security is something we create for ourselves, so we control what happens to us in the workplace. We become the master of our career, rather than its victim.” Source: Weddles.com

How Parents can Help!

Informational Interviewing One of the best sources for gathering information about what’s happening in an occupation or an industry is to talk to people working in the field. This process is called Informational Interviewing.

Occupational Family Tree Families play a major role in shaping their children’s educational and career decisions. An Occupational family Tree can help explore family values, traditions and expectations

Web Resources Waukesha County Technical College WCTC Career Development Services-Youth Services /youth.php WISCareers

For More Information or Questions John Pritchett, MS, LPC, GCDF Waukesha County Technical College (262)