Is there a career guidance gap for teens?

 

Is there a career guidance gap for teens?

By Mangalagowri Ramanathan

Letter to Editor

AS someone who has spent over 20 years in Human Resources, hiring, restructuring, mentoring, and watching careers rise and sometimes stall, I can say this with conviction that yes, there is a growing career guidance gap for teens, and it is widening at a time when the job market is changing faster than ever before.

Today’s teens are growing up in a world dominated by social media trends, AI headlines, influencer careers, and viral success stories. They are told they can be anything but rarely shown how.

Schools focus heavily on exams, grades, and academic pathways, yet provide limited exposure to real-world careers, evolving industries, or the skills employers actually look for.

Parents, often guided by what worked 20 or 30 years ago, understandably push for “safe” professions such as doctor, lawyer or engineer without realising that the definition of stability has fundamentally changed.

From an HR perspective, the current and future job market will not reward rote learning alone. Jobs are becoming more skills-based, not title-based.

We are already seeing strong demand for roles in data analytics, cybersecurity, sustainability, ESG, digital marketing, AI governance, HR tech, and hybrid business functions that did not exist a decade ago.

At the same time, many traditional roles are being reshaped or automated. The gap is not about intelligence it is about relevance and readiness. What worries me most is how early disengagement begins.

Teens who do not see the connection between what they study and what they can become often lose motivation. They are labelled “lazy” or “unfocused” when in reality, they are directionless, not disinterested.

Career guidance today must go beyond a one-off counselling session or a university fair. It should start earlier, be continuous, and involve exposure to industries, professionals, and real career stories including failures, pivots, and second chances.

As an HR leader, I have interviewed countless fresh graduates who are academically qualified but lack self-awareness, communication skills, adaptability, and clarity about their career direction.

These are not flaws they are symptoms of a system that prepares students to pass exams, not to navigate careers. The future workforce will need critical thinking, emotional intelligence, digital literacy, resilience, and the ability to learn and unlearn continuously. This is where thoughtful, accessible career guidance becomes crucial.

So, what needs to change? Schools, parents, industry professionals, and policymakers must work together. Career guidance should include internships, mentorship programmes, industry exposure, skills mapping, and honest conversations about the realities of work.

Teens must understand that careers are no longer linear and that uncertainty is not failure, but part of growth. If we truly want to prepare teens for the future, we must stop asking only, “What do you want to be?” and start asking, “What problems do you want to solve, and what skills will help you get there?”

Bridging the career guidance gap is no longer optional; it is a necessity for building a resilient, future-ready workforce. 

 Mangalagowri Ramanathan

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.