Parents

Helping your child with their career choices

Parents are the biggest influence on a child's career choices.  Whether your child is choosing what subjects to do for standard grades or highers, or applying for university, your opinions and suggestions will be of huge importance.  There is a bewildering amount of information available to children about career choices, so your help could be crucial to them making the correct decisions.

Careers in science, technology, engineering and maths are among the best paid in Scotland.  92% of employers employ STEM skilled people, and employers value people with STEM qualifications (CBI: Emerging stronger, 2009).  A career in STEM could be interesting and rewarding for your child, as well as being well paid.

There are several resources available for parents to allow them to provide the help and support their child needs. 

The Scottish Government campaign Do something creative.  Do science encourages young people to pursue careers in STEM subjects.  The website contains an excellent interactive tool which allows students to explore their options.

The futuremorph website contains information and advice for parents and students about STEM careers.

Careers Scotland provides more general information for parents about careers.

For futher information in the different subject areas, visit the page with careers advice for young people and for general background information about the labour market the page for teachers.

Fun science!

Looking for something to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon?  How about some simple and fun science experiments to entertain your children (and yourself!), and educate them at the same time?

Getting your child interested in science from a young age could help prepare them for their future career.  In addition, many science activities help them to develop their powers of reasoning and logic, important skills whatever career path they eventually embark upon.  Every young child has an insatiable curiosity and a desire to explore their world, so science is an ideal way to allow them to do this.  And you get to have fun at the same time!

Planet Science contains fun activities for very young children, while Kid's science experiments is aimed at primary school children.

The Naked Scientists have a page that contains lots of science information in form of podcasts and forums, but also experiments that you do in your own kitchen using thing you have at home.

If you would like your child to watch something worthwhile, have a look at Nina and the Neurons - find episode 21 about binoculars here. Lots of other older episodes are available too.

Or look at the Green Balloon Club, episode 2!

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