Young people no longer just aspire to be train drivers, lawyers and accountants. The careers that really push young people’s buttons are tech roles that barely existed a few years ago, according to new research released today.

Drone pilots, social media influencers and 3D prop designers are among the roles that get teenagers’ digital pulses racing as they gear up for careers beyond their parents’ imaginations. Over half (55%) believe traditional careers such as law, teaching and engineering are outdated and would prefer a more tech focused job path such as software development or smart home design.

The findings are contained in a new report commissioned by Samsung as hundreds of thousands of young people prepare to make decisions about their futures and reveal 71% of British teenagers are not considering following a traditional job role like their parents, with over 4 in 5 (85%) saying they’d consider a career in the tech sector.

The new report launches Samsung’s Alternative Careers Guide which aims to inspire young people about the opportunities available as they come to a crossroads, making the leap from school to higher education, apprenticeships or entering the job market.

The research team audited 3,000 16 to 18-year-olds on their career aspirations to inform the new digital resource developed for young people around new career opportunities. The results demonstrate a shifting focus on alternative tech-based careers with top choices including creating content for online platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram, while app development and video game design are also highly ranked. Getting onto these platforms is easy, but maintaining output and producing traffic can be hard, that is why users may buy Tiktok likes as well as push up their Instagram followers, and so on, which can help them become more visible on their chosen platform.

The top 10 alternative careers:

1. Social Media Influencer (72%)

2. App Developer (68%)

3. Video Game Developer (62%)

4. Smart Home Designer (54%)

5. 3D Prop Designer (48%)

6. Software Developer (46%)

7. Vaccine Developer (45%)

8. Drone Operator (44%)

9. Social Media Manager (44%)

10. Forensic Computer Analyst (43%)

The Samsung report also shines a light on the attitudes young people have towards the world of work and their own immediate goals following the Covid-19 pandemic. Over two thirds (73%) said they have changed their education plans because of the pandemic, with 41% revealing they’re no longer going to university and over half (64%) admitting they’re rethinking their career choice completely as a result of the changes brought about by Covid-19.

The majority of British teens (72%) are worried they’ll end up a lost generation following Covid-19 with over 4 in 5 (81%) concerned about mass unemployment and a lack of job opportunities after the pandemic and 78% revealing they feel uncertain and worried about their future.

Almost every British teenager polled (91%) say they see the idea of having just one career as the stuff of yesteryear and they fully expect to have a portfolio of different careers during their lifetimes.

The majority (65%) think the traditional nine to five working patterns be a thing of the past in the space of five years. And, as many people have shown that working from home is a realistic option, over half (55%) of those in the survey say they wouldn’t even consider working for a company that had strict 9 to 5 working hours, whilst 48% said they wouldn’t choose a job If they couldn’t work from home. A more flexible working style is so important to teens that 78% went as far as saying they would choose a job based on work/life balance over one with a high salary.

As part of its Alternative Careers Guide, Samsung has prepared a digital prospectus to give young people ideas about emerging career paths in technology. The prospectus features a series of interviews, fronted by radio and TV presenter, Roman Kemp in which he explores some of the roles available to young people by interviewing a selection of individuals spearheading their chosen career path.

Guests to the series include Drone Operator and founder of SkyBound Rescuer, Gemma Alcock, Tech Entrepreneur and Cashmere App Developer, Urenna Okonkwo, 3D Prop Designer Keith Thomson and Samsung Technical Product Graduate, Mantas Navickas.

Roman Kemp says: “Like many people I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school, I didn’t know what kind of career I wanted when I was 18- my first job was actually cleaning the toilets at my local gym! I ended up falling into radio presenting by accident. I was working in a studio when one day the presenter was off sick and they asked me to fill in for them, and it snowballed from there. Any young people who are feeling unsure about their next step should check out Samsung’s Alternative Careers Guide, it’s a great resource for learning more about tech leading careers you may not have thought about.”

Tess Smillie, VP People Team at Samsung Europe HQ, UK & Ireland said: “There is a lot to think about when furthering your studies or planning your first career move, and the current uncertainty we are all facing makes it all the more challenging. At Samsung we approach everything we do with the spirit of a ‘relentless pioneer’- daring to defy barriers. At the heart of our business is the pursuit of excellence and bringing innovation to everyone. We realise it’s our people who really make this possible and we are proud to be able to offer students [Placement and Graduate] opportunities via our Emerging Talent programme.”

Today’s job market has changed beyond all recognition from the one which existed 25 years ago and there is a wealth of new technology-based roles that many people don’t even know exist. Samsung is at the forefront of technological change and we believe it is our responsibility to guide young people through the new opportunities that are out there.”

The report precedes the second year of Samsung’s ‘Not a School’ programme which aims to bring together young people in order to help equip them with vital skills in preparation for the workplace of the future as innovations in technology rapidly advance. The full Samsung report and alternative careers web series can be accessed at:https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/kings-cross/