1. Parents – key influencers on children’s academic and employment choices Chris Phillips, Research Director, GTI/TARGETcareers June 23, 2015

2. Trendence and school leaver research Research into parental influence December 2014 –Undergraduates –Parents –Careers advisers –HELOA members –Employers Trendence School Leaver Barometer 2014 Years 10-13 plans for study and work –7,000 students –Produced annually

3. Download both reports from: gtimedia.co.uk/expertise/research-reports Download both reports from: gtimedia.co.uk/expertise/research-reports

4. New careers products for 2015areechool leaver print products The UK’s 100 most popular employers for School Leavers Features over 100 UK employers as voted for by 7,000 school students and top 20 universities The UK’s first and largest employer ranking product aimed at school and FE college students 50,000 copies circulated free to students and careers contacts at over 4,000 schools and FE Colleges plus digital editions TARGETcareers Construction, Engineering & Property Mainly for employers in these sectors to promote alternatives to university Print copies distributed to key contacts at every school and FE college in the UK, along with the digital version

5. TARGETcareers Careers information to help school and college students choose the degree courses and universities to reach their careers goals Building on TARGETjobs’ 25-year history of editorial excellence for university students TARGETcareers Launched in September 2015

6. ‘When I was eighteen, I thought my father was a fool. When I was 21, I was pleasantly surprised at how much he had managed to learn in three years.’ Mark Twain

8. THE HEADLINES PARENTS ARE INFLUENTIAL THANK GOD THE HEADLINES PARENTS ARE INFLUENTIAL THANK GOD

9. Only 7% of students believe that parents have had no influence on their key education and career choices 57% believe that parents have influenced them a fair amount or a huge amount

10. “AND THEY ARE RIGHT TO BE...” SAY THEIR KIDS “AND THEY ARE RIGHT TO BE...” SAY THEIR KIDS

11. 66% think it’s the right thing for parents to do Only 7% think it’s wrong Students believe that parents seek to influence their children because they want them to have a better life than they had

12. 69% of students say that their parents tried to influence their choice of university/degree 54% their choice of career

13. UNIVERSITY – THE DEFAULT OPTION

14. 76% of students say that their parents encouraged them to go to university 70% of parents say they would or did encourage their children to go to university

15. ALTERNATIVES TO UNIVERSITY PARENTS IN THE DARK ALTERNATIVES TO UNIVERSITY PARENTS IN THE DARK

16. 73% of students say that their parents never discussed alternatives to university with them 25% of parents say that they didn’t discuss alternatives because they believed that university was a much better choice

17. PARENTS ON HAND TO HELP

18. 56% of students say that their parents accompanied them to university open days 47% have had some help with job applications and interviews 39% of students say that their parents have offered to put them in touch with family, friends or work colleagues

19. INFLUENCE IS NOT A CONSTANT

20. It changes depending on: Whether parents have been to university Where they live What they do for a living Whether their children have studied at state school or an independent school Whether the children are boys or girls

21. IT’S WHO YOU KNOW...

22. The level of parental influence is much higher for students who were independently educated Parents of independently educated students are much more likely to put their children in touch with family, friends and work colleagues But parents of independently educated students are less likely to attend university open days

23. VIVE LA DIFFERENCE

24. At university open days, women were much more likely to take their parents Men are more likely to receive parental help to contact friends, family and work colleagues

25. PARENTS WHO HAVE A DEGREE

26. The level of influence exerted by parents who had been to university is much higher than that of parents who hadn’t Parents who hadn’t been to university were much less likely to help their children with job applications and interviews compared to those parents who had

27. IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE

28. Most likely to encourage their children to go to university –Northern Ireland (91%) –East of England (62%) Most likely to discuss alternatives to university with their children –South West (70%) –London (47%)

29. ON THE FRONT LINE OUTREACH, ADMISSIONS, MARKETING ON THE FRONT LINE OUTREACH, ADMISSIONS, MARKETING

30. 57% say there has been an increase in the number of parents at open days compared to five years ago 83% say it was important for their university to encourage parents to attend open days 57% say they have had experience of parents seeking to influence the university application process in favour of their child

31. WHAT ARE CAREERS SERVICES SAYING ON THE SUBJECT?

32. 62% believe that parents are more visible or involved in their children’s career choices post-university compared to five years ago 32% say that their own service is already making guidance or information available to undergraduates’ parents 28% plan to make it available

33. 88% say the Careers and Employability Service is involved in university open days speaking or presenting to prospective students’ parents

34. WE ALL KNOW WHO KNOWS BEST

35. Students think their mothers are significantly more active than fathers in attempts to influence decisions

36. Dr Paul Redmond, Director of Student Life Cabinet Ministers, Spin Doctors, Yes Ministers and Backbenchers: charting the influence of parents on students’ careers.

37. If you can read this thank a teacher. National Union of Teachers

38. Parent Typology Cabinet Minister Civil Servant Spin Doctor Backbencher

39. The Cabinet Minister Highly influential and well-connected; Holder and purveyor of cultural capital; Direct access to elite networks; Able to achieve results; Metropolitan and cosmopolitan.

40. “”The biggest influence my parents gave me was their own example – they both went to Cambridge and while they in no way TOLD me to apply there, they did tell me about their own experiences, which made me want to go there myself.”.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

41. Civil Servant Informed adviser; Guides from the side-lines; Familiar with processes and conventions; High levels of knowledge, but may pull back from exerting direct engagement and influence; Aims for neutrality.

42. ’56% of students said their parents had accompanied them to university open days.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

43. “As I do not receive student finance, my whole education was an investment from my parents, so the minimum I can do is show some gratitude is to listen and take into account what they have to say.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

44. The Spin Doctor Ferociously loyal; Uber-competitive and willing to go to extreme lengths to gain a positional advantage; Expert at communications and image management; Excels in the curricula and extracurricular; Overstepping the mark is but an occupational hazard.

45. ’25% of employers say that they had experience of parents seeking to influence the selection process for their child.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

46. “I received huge pressure from the private school I attended with regard to going to university, despite feeling it wasn’t the right choice for me.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

47. The Backbencher Loyal and hard-working but likely to wield limited influence; Has limited capacity to shape proceedings; Likely to lack key knowledge; May act on outdated intelligence; Can find it difficult to identify with new economic realities.

48. ‘Students with parents who had not been to university were much more likely to be left to make their own decisions.’ ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

49. “From my own experience, parents with little or no higher education don’t know much about the university process, therefore they didn’t have much input into my decisions.” ‘Parental influence on children’s academic and employment choices’ 2014

50. (Low) Knowledge(High) Spin DoctorCabinet Minister Back BencherCivil Servant (Low)Engagement (High) Influence

52. How careers services collaborate with student recruitment and marketing teams in order to engage prospective students and parents.

53. Destinations data: Quantitative - Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) Qualitative – Elaboration on the DLHE data, case studies, etc.

55. Careers information in prospectuses, websites, newsletters to prospective students and offer holders, etc.

56. OFFA-funded posts: Careers Consultants Data Analysts Work Experience Specialists All working to ‘level the playing field’ for widening participation students.

57. OFFA-funded posts Pre-entry Careers Consultants – outreach in schools – produce Information Sheets and other resources – deliver workshops and talks – Attend recruitment events (including webchats) An especially valuable service given the decline in careers education, information, advice and guidance in schools

58. Open Days Attend open days to help potential students and parents understand the occupational implications of degree choice (and other things)

59. Key messages/themes Advice on strengthening personal statements when applying to university Latest information on the graduate recruitment market (don’t always believe media headlines!) What do employers look for? How universities develop students’ employability skills and experience

60. Download both reports from: gtimedia.co.uk/expertise/research-reports Download both reports from: gtimedia.co.uk/expertise/research-reports