UK parents admit they’re clueless at careers advice - as children pick AI over traditional roles

An incredible one in six kids aged seven to eight now say they want to be influencers when they grow up, according to new research.

Artificial intelligence and space exploration are also popular, and the rapidly changing world of work has left their mums and dads at a loss.

The survey, carried out by Hyundai, found 96% of UK parents believe the workplace will undergo more dramatic change over the next decade.

And while almost half want to support their children’s passions, 45% admit the sheer speed of change has left them struggling to provide guidance.

Almost a third (30%) said they’re ill-equipped to tackle emerging fields such as AI, robotics, and space exploration. AI specialist was the hardest role to discuss (18%), followed by social media influencer (17%) and professional gamer (16%).

British scientist Dame Dr Maggie Aderin has stepped in to help fill the gap, launching a space careers lesson as part of Hyundai’s Great British School Trip programme.

"It’s inspiring to see young people already thinking about future careers in science, tech, and digital media,” she said.

“The challenge is helping them explore these fast-moving fields in meaningful, hands-on ways.”

The event, for year 8 and 9 pupils, took place last week and is available for teachers to use online.

Now in its third year, the Great British School Trip gives 150,000 kids real world experience with Hyundai investing £3m to help families who struggle to afford expensive educational visits.

Ashley Andrew, President of Hyundai Motor & Genesis UK, added: “We’ve seen how powerful real-world experiences can be in preparing young people for the future of work.

“Knowing over a quarter of parents would like more guidance on future career paths, and with everything else teachers juggle, it’s more important than ever to give students early exposure to the careers of tomorrow.”

The car company has also launched the Hyundai Future Jobs Trumps game – a free resource which highlights skills needed for roles including cosmic architect, AI ethicist and space explorer.