So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

If you're anything like me I bet you've had many answers to that question in the past. (Vet, teacher, wizard and chocolate taster being just a few of my responses). I imagine some of you would still find it hard to answer the question, regardless of how far you are into your career.

A recent survey by the ONS revealed a significant gap between the jobs that young people aspired to have in 2011, compared to the jobs they actually had in 2017.

They dreamt of jobs that were creative and exciting, such as working in the media and helping the public by working in teaching or healthcare. The sad reality was that only 1.4% of young people had actually got jobs in the media or arts, and 1.7% in healthcare. Young people also hugely underestimated what their salary would be by the age of 30 and both the likelihood and value of gaining a degree.

Now this survey could be telling us many things. It could be telling us that we need to do more to support young people's career dreams by creating new paths for them to follow into desirable occupations. The rise of apprenticeships may well play a role in this, as will the increasing attention being placed on social mobility and diversity by organisations when they hire new/early talent.

It could also be telling us that schools and organisations could be doing more to prepare young people for the reality of the UK job market and helping them to see beyond the traditional view that gaining a degree equates to a 'better' or more successful career. Part of this may be down to sharing career advice beyond which universities to apply to, but also encouraging entrepreneurship and the development of 'future' skills such as coding and programming.

The other thing it may be telling us is that young people today are playing it safe, and entering careers that they have been exposed to while growing up. Ask any six year old what they want to be when they grow up and they will tell you the only jobs they know- doctor, teacher, vet, builder.

But if we broaden the horizons of young people early on, introducing them to 'new' jobs or jobs they may not have heard of, then maybe we can capture their hearts as they continue their learning and support them to make those dreams a reality.