British teenagers would rather work for the NHS than tech giants Apple, Google and Tesla, poll finds

British teenagers would rather work for the NHS than any other employer – including tech giants Apple, Google and Tesla, a major poll reveals. 

Youngsters believe medicine is the ‘most important’ sector, with ‘doctor’ claiming the top spot in the league table of career preferences and ‘nurse’ in fifth place. 

One in ten (9 per cent) of the 4,017 13 to 16-year-olds surveyed for BBC Bitesize said they would most like to become a doctor. 

This was followed by engineer (7 per cent), teacher (6 per cent), lawyer (4 per cent) and nurse (4 per cent), showing that traditional roles still have a strong appeal among youngsters. 

Vet, footballer, artist, police officer and building trade completed the top ten. 

One in ten (9 per cent) of the 4,017 13 to 16-year-olds surveyed for BBC Bitesize said they would most like to become a doctor

Some 33 per cent said they believe medicine is the most important sector, followed by education, engineering, science and law. 

Happiness was the factor pupils were most likely to consider when picking a job (27 per cent), followed by a need to feel good about what they do (25 per cent) and money (20 per cent). 

Only 4 per cent said they would pick the job that most allowed them to prioritise leisure time. 

The NHS emerged as the top choice for employment among teenagers, overshadowing tech giants like Apple, Google, and Tesla, as well as footballing body FIFA. Meanwhile, 44 per cent want a job where they can work outside, 37 per cent in an office and 19 per cent from home. 

The pupils say they want an employer that offers good opportunities for training and development, good pay, flexible hours and strong commitments to climate change and sustainability. 

However, there are big differences between socioeconomic groups, with poorer children less confident they will secure the role they want. 

More than two in five teens from more affluent backgrounds expressed feeling ‘very confident’ about achieving their desired career, whereas less than a third (28 per cent) from less privileged backgrounds shared the same level of confidence. 

For teens from both demographics, the main reasons for not feeling confident about achieving their top job were ‘educational challenges’ (30 per cent), ‘difficult to get into’ (20 per cent) and ‘lack of confidence’ (12 per cent). 

The NHS emerged as the top choice for employment among teenagers, overshadowing tech giants like Apple, Google, and Tesla and even FIFA

This suggests that irrespective of social demographic, teens do not have confidence to achieve the grades needed to work in their chosen profession. 

TV doctor and Strictly Come Dancing star Dr Ranj Singh, who has produced content for the BBC career’s advice site, said: ‘Hearing today’s teens choose careers in medicine as their top choice, alongside their recognition of the NHS as their preferred employer, is truly heartening.

‘I was about eight years old when I made the decision to be a doctor. I always had a fascination for science and wanted to do something to help people. 

‘It’s an incredibly rewarding career and it’s important that all teens feel like they can achieve their career goals, regardless of their backgrounds.’