Kathryn McColl, co-founder of Hark, explains how employers can do more to engage younger school students to build a more confident generation of future talent
Each September, as young people return to school, questions about their future start to feel more pressing. But Hark's new Listen Up Report 2025 reveals a critical and often overlooked window for building career confidence in Years 8 and 9 (12 to 14-year-olds). This stage of secondary school is often overlooked in terms of early career engagement, yet it proves to be a critical turning point.
Confidence starts slipping early
Our research shows that almost a third of Year 9 students (30%) have already changed their mind about what job they want since starting secondary school. For many, this shift is not just about exploration, it's accompanied by uncertainty. More than half of students say they know little to nothing about their next stage, and only 10% feel fully in control of their future pathway.
Career confidence and aspirations narrow long before official decision points like GCSEs or post-16 choices. Without early exposure to role models, workplace experiences, and relatable career stories, young people risk closing down options too soon.
Employers should share authentic career journeys, emphasising the transferable skills that start in the classroom and extend into meaningful roles.
Who we are
Hark is a London-based education and youth agency with over 30 years' experience creating powerful learning experiences and campaigns for schools, communities, and youth audiences. We work with businesses that want to do more than just speak to young people, they want to create real change with them. From fuelling future talent pipelines to advancing CSR and ESG goals, we help organisations connect with the next generation in meaningful, measurable ways.
Why years 8 and 9 matter
Too often, employers focus outreach efforts on older students who are 'closer' to the labour market. While important, this leaves a gap at the very stage when young people are most impressionable, yet less informed. In Years 8 and 9, students are forming self-beliefs, exploring interests, and making decisions that will influence subject choices and, ultimately, career pathways. Engaging at this stage can help to widen, not restrict, their sense of possibility.
Making careers relatable
What young people need most is visibility. Hearing from people in work who share their backgrounds, passions, or challenges helps students connect the dots between personal interests and future opportunities. Employers should share authentic career journeys, emphasising the transferable skills - creativity, problem-solving, teamwork - that start in the classroom and extend into meaningful roles. Making these connections tangible reassures students that their passions aren't just hobbies, but potential career foundations.
A one-off encounter can inspire, but sustained engagement builds lasting confidence.
Practical strategies for employers
Early engagement does not have to be resource heavy. Some of the most effective interventions are also the simplest:
- School visits and talks that show the breadth of opportunities in a sector.
- Workplace taster sessions that give young people a chance to experience professional environments first-hand.
- Mentoring schemes that build confidence through ongoing relationships with role models.
- Collaborating with schools to provide curriculum-linked examples, ensuring careers education feels relevant and real.
Consistency is key. A one-off encounter can inspire, but sustained engagement builds lasting confidence.
A successful outcome
Ultimately, success looks like young people who feel informed, supported, and empowered to make choices. Rather than saying they 'know little to nothing' about what comes next, they should leave Years 8 and 9 with a stronger sense of control and optimism about the future. Employers who step in early not only help to keep ambition alive, but also build a more confident, better-prepared generation of future talent.
The message is clear: employers cannot afford to wait until students are on the cusp of leaving school. By investing in young people earlier, organisations can play a transformative role in shaping aspirations, and in doing so, secure the workforce of tomorrow.
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