Understanding School in Germany

In this world, parents are simply
irreplaceable, especially when it comes
to choosing a profession.
18.1
Parents are the most important people when it comes to
choosing a profession.
Even if perhaps many young people do not like to admit it: When it comes
to the choice of an occupation, teenagers take their parents’ advice seriously.
In surveys most young people (70 to 90 per cent) rank their parents
first when asked which people influence them the most when it comes to
choosing a profession, followed by the school or friends. Thus, parents have
the greatest influence on their children’s occupational choice.
18.2
Parental influence can be positive.
If a parent has many business contacts, he or she can provide his or her
child with many examples and even perhaps arrange useful contacts.
However, even if this is not the case, you can still support your child. It can be
a great help, if you take this subject seriously, talk with your child about it on
many occasions, and accompany him or her to important appointments.
18.3
Parental influence can also be negative.
Both statements are possible: ”My child shall carry on in my profession!” Or
alternatively: ”I want my child to have it better than I had it.” Many children
learn a certain profession only because this is what the parents want.
If a parent is only familiar with very few occupations, then he or she may
not be providing very good advice to his or her child. There are about 350
occupations that require career and vocational education and training as
well as thousands of degree programmes. No one can know everything
about each one of them.
Fortunately, there are many career advisors who can assist young people in
their choice of an occupation and help them with their university or vocational
training applications.
… 74 …