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Doctor has topped the list of jobs teenagers want the most when they're older, up two places since last year according to the annual 大象传媒 Bitesize Careers survey.

The survey, of more than 4,000 13-16-year-olds, also suggested young people would choose to work for the NHS ahead of companies like Google and Disney, as well as revealing the top 10 most desirable careers for young people.

Top 10 desirable jobs for teenagers

Doctor has risen two places in the top 10 list compared to last year, overtaking engineer and teacher as the most popular choice. Nurse is also up four places to number five.

Working in the building trade and being an artist are new entries for 2024, while architect and computer scientist, dropped out of the 10.

Almost one in 10 teenagers chose doctor as their preferred profession, up 3% compared to 2023.

RankCareers
1Doctor
2Engineer
3Teacher
4Lawyer
5Nurse
6Vet
7Footballer
8Artist (new)
9Police officer
10Building trade (new)

Top 10 companies to work for

When asked which company or organisation they鈥檇 choose if they could work anywhere in the world the NHS was the number one choice, ranking ahead of Apple in second, Google in third and NASA in fourth place.

RankBusiness or Organisation
1NHS
2Apple
3Google
4NASA
5Microsoft
6Police
7Disney
8Tesla
9FIFA

What is most important to you in your job?

More than eight out of 10 teenagers (84%) surveyed said they were confident they would achieve their career goals, although there was an increase in the number who thought their background played a part in them succeeding.

One in five (20%) said your background always affects your chance of getting the job you want, which has risen from just over one in 10 (13%) in 2023.

When asked what the most important thing about any future job would be 鈥楬appiness鈥 ranked ahead of 鈥楩eeling good about what you do鈥, with 鈥楳oney鈥 in third place.

However, more than half of young people in London said they were willing to pursue a job they did not enjoy if it was well paid, compared to less than a third (31%) in the North West and in Northern Ireland.

Almost a third (32%) said they hoped to start A-Level courses after leaving school, with one in five (19%) saying they鈥檇 like to do an apprenticeship.

Survey information

The survey, was carried out by Survation on behalf of 大象传媒 Bitesize Careers as part of their offering for National Careers Week. A series of new Bitesize Careers podcasts, hosted by Radio 1 presenter Katie Thistleton, have been launched to help young people figure out how to choose a job that鈥檚 right for them.

Strictly star Dr Ranj Singh has also swapped jobs with Radio 1 DJ Charlie Tee to show young people different worlds of work as part of a week long set of resources for schools and young people to use during National Careers Week. Giving his reaction to the survey results, Dr Ranj said: "Hearing today's teens choose careers in medicine as their top choice, alongside their recognition of the NHS as their preferred employer, is truly heartening! I was about eight years old when I made the decision to be a doctor, I always had a fascination for science and wanted to do something to help people. It鈥檚 an incredibly rewarding career and it鈥檚 important that all teens feel like they can achieve their career goals, regardless of their backgrounds. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 brilliant to be collaborating with 大象传媒 Bitesize during National Careers Week, helping the nation's teens as they navigate through exams and career choices."

Survey conducted by Survation between 9 - 22 December 2023.

Population sampled: Children aged 13 - 16, across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Sample size: 4,017

Further career help and support for students

From Monday 4th March you can join 大象传媒 Bitesize Careers for themed daily activities, lesson starters and video content, designed to give students the tools and information they need to make more informed choices about their next steps:

  • Motivation Monday 鈥 exploring job motivations, which jobs students may enjoy and why
  • Talented Tuesday 鈥 linking passions to possible future jobs
  • Working World Wednesday 鈥 behind the scenes of real jobs
  • Throwback Thursday 鈥 stories of young people who've turned their long-loved hobbies and interests into jobs
  • Your Future Friday 鈥 identifying career goals and how to achieve them.

You鈥檒l also find The Bitesize Careers Podcasts and an interactive careers lesson called 鈥Career We Go鈥 available now for teachers and students on the Bitesize Careers website, designed to help young people identify their passions and soft skills before thinking about how to apply them to different jobs.

Students can also take the Bitesize Careers quiz to find their perfect career or decide whether they鈥檙e best suited to university, work or apprenticeships.

For information on 100s of different job profiles, check out our A to Z: Find your perfect job.

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Job and career inspiration and resources

The Big Careers Quiz: How do your job choices compare to the crowd? quiz

See how your professional preferences compare to the results of our Bitesize Careers survey.

The Big Careers Quiz: How do your job choices compare to the crowd?

Where it all started. video

Are you curious about how people turn their passions into a job? Join us as we delve into the inspiring journeys of three young professionals who turned their love for Art, Engineering, and Animal Welfare into thriving careers!

Where it all started

Job inspiration: Careers in healthcare and frontline services. collection

Hear from people working across the healthcare sector and in frontline services, including some roles you may not know existed!

Job inspiration: Careers in healthcare and frontline services

National Careers Week 2024 | Bitesize Careers. collection

Find out what to expect from 大象传媒 Bitesize Careers for National Careers Week 2024 (4-9 March).

National Careers Week 2024 | Bitesize Careers