Revealed: New number one in top 10 jobs teens want

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 BBC 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.

Top 10 companies to work for

When asked which company or organisation they’d 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.

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 ‘Happiness’ ranked ahead of ‘Feeling good about what you do’, with ‘Money’ 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’d like to do an apprenticeship.

Survey information

The survey, was carried out by Survation on behalf of BBC 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’s 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’s an incredibly rewarding career and it’s important that all teens feel like they can achieve their career goals, regardless of their backgrounds. That’s why it’s brilliant to be collaborating with BBC 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 BBC 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 – exploring job motivations, which jobs students may enjoy and why
• Talented Tuesday – linking passions to possible future jobs
• Working World Wednesday – behind the scenes of real jobs
• Throwback Thursday – stories of young people who've turned their long-loved hobbies and interests into jobs
• Your Future Friday – identifying career goals and how to achieve them.

You’ll also find The Bitesize Careers Podcasts and an interactive careers lesson called ‘Career We Go’ 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’re 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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