You probably have a set of ideas as to which careers are ‘good’ and which are ‘bad.’ There will be those jobs that you see as suitable for you and those that you don’t fancy doing. This changes from person to person, which is just as well, since competition for some jobs is difficult enough without everyone going for the same ones! However, within this general preference for certain types of work is an air of snobbery. In short, some feel that certain jobs are ‘below them.’ That they are somehow ‘worth more’ than someone with a job they see as undesirable. But, while there are some jobs that are clearly more desirable than others, these views are not always based on reality and can even translate through to what work or training you will even consider looking into! This career snobbery has even attached itself to views of apprenticeships, with many believing they are only for those who are ‘not good enough’ to go to university, or those who want to work in manual work.
Of course, firstly it needs to be pointed out that there is nothing wrong with manual work – it is all a question of what suits you. Just as some people couldn’t imagine working with their hands, others couldn’t stand the idea of being cooped up in an office all day.
What’s more, many people have false perceptions as to the earning potential of many manual jobs and trades. While looking for a purely academic route, including perhaps a costly university degree, they fail to see that a trade could equal a financially rewarding career. After all, who do you think a lawyer or a doctor calls when their heating breaks down or their pipes burst in the winter? And, as anyone who has paid a call-out charge to a plumber knows, it’s not always cheap to get such things fixed!
There is also a misconception that people who work in trades are stupid. Try telling that to the person who runs their own business – handling accounts, finding new contracts for work, and maybe even managing employees of their own!
But it is not just between certain professions that this career snobbery can arise, but even when it comes to different training and routes into employment.
Many young people, for example, see apprenticeships as a less-desirable option than university, feeling that their prospects won’t be as good, or that they will not able to pursue their desired career that way. However, these are often assumptions that have not been tested – have you looked to see if there is an apprenticeship in the career you want to pursue?
If not, you might want to try, as you’d be surprised at the range of apprenticeships on offer – with more being added all the time.
Of course, the apprenticeship system has not been without its problems in the past, with some ‘apprenticeships’ failing to come up to scratch. However, with an increasing focus on quality, and some businesses even being punished for offering sub-par apprenticeships, this is all changing too.
With many graduates fail to find suitable work as apprentices enjoy high rates of employment – perhaps it is time to consider it as a genuine option?
Either way, don’t let your misconceptions cloud your view – career snobs can soon find themselves wishing they had truly looked at all the possibilities!
