London, 2016-Sep-06 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today’s youngsters strive to be YouTube sensations and travel bloggers, research by Currys PC World reveals.
The cross-generational study into the nation’s passions and aspirations found that while older generations of Brits dreamt of being teachers, scientists, footballers and doctors, youngsters of today have different ideas.
Popular career choices for young Brits include becoming a writer, a YouTube sensation, an artist, a travel blogger or an entrepreneur, according to the study of 1,515 teenagers and adults.
Category Director for Computing at Currys PC World, Phil Samuels, comments: “Generations of today have so many more options and opportunities than older age groups and the internet and development of technology has aided that growth. You can forget a briefcase, notepad and travelling to the office every day – our research reveals that over half (52 per cent) of under 30-year-olds think that laptops and tablets are going to be the most helpful items when starting a career – which isn’t surprising when YouTube sensations, bloggers and entrepreneurs are some of the top career choices.”
A staggering 92 percent of the youngsters do not wish to follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, the poll revealed. Similarly, more than a fifth (21 per cent) of those under 30 cited You Tubers as the biggest influence in their lives, more so than their grandparents (18 per cent), siblings (18 per cent) and celebrities (16 per cent).
While a startling number of the top 20 young Brits’ dream jobs are those which would allow them to be self-employed or work from home, this is in stark contrast to what older generations’ dream jobs were, with doctors, teachers and scientists forming much more traditional roles.
Top 20 jobs across different generations:
| Position | Young Brits’ Dream Jobs | Older Generations’ Dream Jobs |
| 1 | Writer | Teacher |
| 2 | YouTube sensation | Scientist |
| 3 | Artist | Footballer |
| 4 | Photographer | Sportsman |
| 5 | Fashion designer | Doctor |
| 6 | Entrepreneur | Musician |
| 7 | Travel blogger | Pilot |
| 8 | Model | Artist |
| 9 | Film maker | Hairdresser |
| 10 | Singer | Singer |
| 11 | Musician | Secretary |
| 12 | Computer programmer | Air hostess |
| 13 | Make-up artist | Actress |
| 14 | Footballer | Banker |
| 15 | Actress | Driver |
| 16 | Doctor | Lawyer |
| 17 | Sportsman | Shopkeeper |
| 18 | Food blogger | Sales assistant |
| 19 | Police Officer | Builder |
| 20 | Chef | Model |
The younger generation are also more relaxed in terms of their futures. Nearly two thirds (62 per cent) said they were willing to give something a try but change careers if they’re not happy. Additionally, when it comes to financial security, the majority are more care-free than their parents’ generation, claiming other factors such as finding the right job were more important than money.
Interestingly, more than half (51 percent) of those aged between 18-30 are planning on turning their passion into a career.
When it comes to the older generations, 43 per cent admitted there were not as many opportunities as there are today, while 31 per cent said aspirations weren’t as high when they were young. Nearly half (43 per cent) of those aged 50 plus said they didn’t believe “they could be anything they wanted to be” while 15 per cent felt pressured to follow a certain path.
Almost three in ten (29 per cent) said career horizons were narrower because they didn’t have the internet, while 23 per cent said their own parents placed too much emphasis on being financially secure. A further seven per cent said they were encouraged to get married rather than concentrate on building a career. However, a quarter (25 per cent) of those aged 30 plus have now given up their jobs to follow a passion.
Psychologist, Emma Kenny, says: “In today’s fast-paced, always-on world, the boundaries between work and personal life are becoming increasingly blurred. So it’s of no surprise that the younger generations feel more confident that they can turn their passions into careers – this wouldn’t have been as easy a few decades ago but with technological advancements, people are able to connect across the globe, simply with a laptop or tablet. Studies have shown that when people are happier and in a job they’re passionate about, they’re more likely to be successful because they are doing something they well and truly love.”
Currys PC World has a great range of tech perfect for helping people get started in following their passions. Visit www.currys.co.uk/getstarted
Notes to editors:
The research of 1,515 teenagers and adults in the UK was conducted in August 2016.
About Dixons Carphone
Dixons Carphone plc is Europe’s leading specialist electrical and telecommunications retailer and services company, employing over 42,000 people in eleven countries.
Focused on helping customers navigate the connected world, Dixons Carphone offers a comprehensive range of electrical and mobile products, connectivity and expert after-sales services from the Geek Squad and Knowhow.
Dixons Carphone’s primary brands include Carphone Warehouse and CurrysPCWorld in the UK & Ireland, Elkjøp, Elkjøp Phonehouse, Elgiganten, Elgiganten Phonehouse, Gigantti and Lefdal in the Nordic countries, Kotsovolos in Greece, Dixons Travel in a number of UK & Ireland airports and Phone House in Spain. Our key service brands include Knowhow in the UK, Ireland and the Nordics, and Geek Squad in the UK, Ireland and Spain.
Business-to-business (B2B) services are provided through Connected World Services, PC World Business and Carphone Warehouse Business. Connected World Services aims to leverage the Group’s existing expertise, operating processes and technology to provide a range of services to businesses.
Dixons Carphone was voted ‘Retailer of the Year’ at the Retail Week Awards 2016.
For further information, please contact the Currys PC World press office: M&C Saatchi PR /curryspcworld@mcsaatchi.com / 0207 544 3600
Source: Dixons Carphone