Too soon to decide
How early subject specialisation makes career paths harder to chart
Both parents and young people are concerned that the education they are getting today is not preparing them for jobs of the future. This is a real concern when 54% of parents say they are not in their dream job but living with compromise, many carrying lasting resentment.
While 85% of parents say they will encourage their children to follow their dreams rather than take a job they are not interested in, 66% also believe the English education system is narrowing their children’s options too soon, and 62% of young people agree. This research reveals a generation shaped by premature choices is now raising children in a system that hasn’t really changed.
Read the report to learn:
- What parents and young people think about being forced to specialise too early
- What young people seek in a rewarding and meaningful future career
- How AI changes what both generations think will be ‘a good job’ in the future
- How to navigate these concerns and make the right educational choices.
About this report
This research was conducted online by Perspectus Global in September 2025 on behalf of ACS International Schools. The study surveyed 3,527 people in the UK across three groups:
- 1,519 working adults
- 1,004 parents with children aged 16-21 (at school, college, or university)
- 1,004 young people aged 16-21 (children of the same respondents)
The sample was predominantly from England, where the GCSE and A-level system applies. In this report, ‘young people’ refers to those aged 16-21 at school, college, or university.
The findings reveal a pattern. A generation shaped by premature choices is now raising children in a system that hasn’t really changed. They want to do better, but the structure works against them. As you read this report, you’ll see how one generation’s regret has become the next generation’s anxiety, and why that matters more now than ever.
%
Percentage of parents who feel the English exam system narrows options too early
22 %
Of parents disagree
23 %
Of young people disagree
62 %
Of young people agree
66 %
Of parents agree
The career landscape young people face today is fundamentally different from the one their parents navigated. An overwhelming 90% of parents believe AI means young people will need to rethink what counts as a “good job”, with roles requiring human interaction becoming more valuable than traditional professions.
