Ask the expert: Variety may be the spice

By MARIE WILSON

Q: My wife and I have two sons, late teens, who will soon, God willing, enter the workplace and in the process save me a small fortune.

The eldest has one more year at MIT in computer networking studies. In this career, the world should be at his feet but we are finding that employers who may want these type of people do not advertise. Is there a way to find out who these companies are so that we can make connect with them?

Our other boy is in his last year at college. We know this because he says: "There's no way I'm going back to that college next year."

This son will leave with lesser expectations than his older brother. We are not expecting four- to five-year apprenticeships here, but more a move into the workplace with a job where work will be steady and secure.

Even though they are great mates, their work careers are light years apart. Again, how do we go about contacting future employers for a 16-year-old with no recorded work background?

A: No matter what training your sons start work with now, the chances are they'll retrain, re-tool and have several career pathways over the next decade or two as they settle into work. (Don't worry, they'll move out somewhere along the line). For both of them, as a starting point, you might want to see what career services are offered.

For the son with a general background, actually working out his interests and capabilities will be important so that he can have the best chance of a successful experience in his first job.

Depending on his preferences and skills, there may be options for him in retail, hospitality, manufacturing or building. He will be starting at the bottom, though, which is hard and can be frustrating.

Some teens work two part-time jobs in different areas so they can see what it is that they like and enjoy. Your younger son might want to check the industry training organisations and polytechnics in your area to see if he can identify a programme that involves both work and study in a supported apprenticeship. Many of these programmes are for a fairly short period but give better and more supported work entry than just jumping from the fifth form into the workplace.

The son studying computer networking might want to see if there are any final-year projects that require a work placement or an in-company project.

That would give him some contacts and work experience for the transition.

Depending on class schedules and breaks, he might also want to see if he can gain some part-time work through the student job service at MIT, or through a temp agency that specialises in IT jobs (there are several). He could also check with the department and career services at MIT to see where this years graduates are getting jobs, so that he can start looking for holiday work with one of those firms.



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Dr Marie Wilson is associate professor of management at the University of Auckland Business School, research director of the ICEHOUSE business accelerator and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.