Why Our Kids Are Struggling to Find the Right Jobs (And How We Can Fix It) 💡

Why Our Kids Are Struggling to Find the Right Jobs (And How We Can Fix It) 💡

Ever wondered why so many people end up stuck in jobs they hate, with degrees they didn’t need? It’s because they’re not taught to think about work the right way—and the system isn’t helping either.

Here’s the truth: You can’t get a job if you don’t know it exists. Simple, right? And this is why so many people are buried in student debt, why only 25% of college grads end up working in their field, and why people are trapped in jobs they didn't know they'd hate.

Think about it: We’re teaching kids to pick careers from a narrow list of jobs they can see—teacher, doctor, lawyer, firefighter, even basketball player. These jobs are familiar because they’re visible, often in the media or everyday life. But that’s the problem.

High schools and the entire education system are pushing kids towards the wrong work. Why? Because they’re incentivized by student loans and college enrollments. They sell kids the idea that they must get a degree to work a job they already know. But the truth is, 92% of jobs don’t require a college degree, and even worse, kids don’t even know about most of these opportunities!

So, what can we do? It starts with exposing kids to more job options—jobs they can’t see. It’s about teaching them to think creatively about work, to consider the services or products they use every day and how those are made. There are hundreds of jobs behind every product, from HR to marketing to environmental tech. The trick is expanding their horizon.

Parents, you can help by asking your kids how many jobs they know and then showing them the jobs they didn’t know existed. The key isn’t finding a list of jobs but figuring out what works for your child—and getting them to think about it in a way that aligns with their needs and interests.

The education system isn’t designed to help them figure this out—it’s built to push them towards debt. You can change that by teaching them to think differently about work.

Time to flip the script and stop wasting money on degrees that don’t lead to the right jobs. Let's get kids thinking about the jobs that actually fit their lives and give them the tools to make those jobs a reality.

It’s not about a list. It’s about understanding the choices. Help your kids think for themselves—before the system does it for them.