A team of experienced career development practitioners has come up with five key messages that will help you to support your child’s career learning.

Known as the “High Five” of Career Development, these messages will help if your child doesn’t yet have an answer to the question: What are you going to be when you grow up?

One: Change is constant

Taking a flexible approach when planning a new career can greatly assist when unexpected changes happen. Making plans is great - adjusting them along the way can also assist in creating new opportunities.

Two: Follow your heart

Encouraging your child to dream of a future full of different types of career choices enables them to explore and expand their career possibilities. What may appear to be an unconventional or unrealistic choice may just be the very thing that materialises into a career for your child.

Three: Focus on the journey

Enjoying the journey to your child’s career destination is vital. Whilst outcomes are important, remembering to explore and experiment with different career paths can be productive and lots of fun for both of you.

Four: Keep learning

Keeping up to date and adapting to change is important in today’s environment. Learning comes from many experiences not only workplace training but also from everyday activities such as using social network sites on your PC, being part of a community group, sporting teams and family members.

Five: Be an ally

While wanting young people to be self directed we also want them to feel part of a community that cares for them. Being a career “ally” is part of being a support network for those who are exploring career paths. These support networks can consist of parents, neighbours, family, friends and employers and can be a terrific support for your child when making career choices.

(Acknowledgement: The High Five of Career Development were developed by Dave Redekopp and others)