7 in 10 UK Parents Admit Feeling “Out Of Their Depth” When Advising Teens On Future Careers And Qualifications

As emerging technologies like AI redefine the workplace and modern qualifications overhaul traditional education pathways, 7 in 10¹ UK parents surveyed admit to feeling overwhelmed or out of their depth when advising their teenage kids on future careers.

The findings come as Samsung launches its seventh annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition, an award-winning innovation programme and tech-for-good competition offering 11-to-18-year-old students across the UK and Ireland the opportunity to explore a career in tech by challenging them to solve real-world problems.

Research reveals that teens regularly look to their parents for career guidance, with 82%² asking for advice on school, skills and emerging tech careers between one and ten times a month. Yet many parents feel completely out of their depth:

• Over a third (35%)³ report feeling like they can no longer help their children navigate job markets, and 40%³ admit they lack confidence when giving up-to-date career advice.
• 63%⁴ believe their teen already understands modern technology and future job roles better than they do.

Among parents who feel ill-equipped, parents point to a qualifications system that is too complex to navigate (35%) and a lack of clear information or reliable resources (34%). Many also cite a rapidly changing job market filled with new roles that didn’t exist when they were younger (40%).

At the heart of this shared confusion are rapid overhauls in academic and vocational routes. Nearly half (45%)⁵ of parents based in regions where the qualifications can be taken admit to being unfamiliar with T-Levels, while 44%⁵ know little to nothing about Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs).

Parents are equally puzzled when it comes to emerging, tech-driven careers. Over half (57%)⁶ aren’t confident explaining what an AI Prompt Engineer actually does for a living, while 56%6 aren’t confident on roles like Climate Tech Specialist and 44%⁶ for Cyber Security Analyst.

Desperate for backup, 7 in 10 (73%)⁷ confess turning to online search engines or AI chatbots to decode new qualifications or job titles before discussing them with their teens, while 20% rely on family or local group chats to compare notes with other parents. In fact, 7% of parents confess to simply pretending to know what their teen is talking about to save face.

With two thirds (66%)⁸ of parents admitting to leaning on their local community when stumped by their teens career queries, Samsung sent dad and TV presenter Joe Swash into his local neighbourhood to see if anyone had the answers.

In a fun new film launched today, Joe goes on a mission through his local community – turning to taxi drivers, baristas, and quizzing fellow parents on the street – only to discover everyone is just as baffled as he is. That is, until he meets Samsung Solve for Tomorrow alumni Sophie Cradock, a tech savvy teen and founder of the Illegal Fishing Prediction System, who built up the confidence and skills she needed to navigate her own career in tech through the competition. 

Joe Swash, dad and TV Presenter said: “As a dad, you want to be the one with all the answers, but the world is moving at lightning speed! When my teens start talking about jobs that didn’t even exist when I was growing up, I just sit there nodding along, totally blagging it. It turns out us parents are all in the same boat, secretly searching what it all means under the table!

“That’s why Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is so brilliant. It gives young people the chance to get stuck into tackling real-world issues and coming up with their own creative solutions using tech. They learn new skills, build their confidence and get to turn something they’re passionate about into something that could make a real difference. And as a dad, that’s what you want, isn’t it? To see your kids find their feet and do something they’re proud of.”

Recognising that many parents feel uncertain about navigating modern qualifications and career pathways, Samsung has also created a free parent guide to accompany the programme.

Available to download from solvefortomorrowuk.com, it provides conversation starters to help parents and young people discuss the ideas explored through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and how these relate to future careers in technology and beyond. The guide signposts families to trusted careers information and explains routes into technology careers, including Samsung apprenticeships, placement years and graduate programmes.

For young people curious about where their skills could take them, the competition offers a hands-on taste of the very careers parents are struggling to explain. Working alone or in teams of up to four, students choose one of three challenge themes for 2026/27, each linked to a fast-growing area of work:

• Smarter Sport – tech that makes sport more inclusive and helps people perform better.
• Greener Future – tech that protects the planet and supports sustainable living.
• Safer Online – tech that keeps people connected, confident and in control.

Mirroring a real-world product development cycle, the innovation competition runs in three stages – Imagine it, Make it and Pitch it. After entries close on 18th January 2027, semi-finalists will be paired with Samsung mentors and given funding to build a prototype, before finalists pitch to a panel of Samsung and industry experts at the national final in April 2027.

Finalists will also take part in a Work Experience Day with Samsung, gaining first-hand insight into life in the tech industry, while winners will see their ideas showcased on the big screen at Piccadilly Circus and take home some of the latest Samsung products for themselves, their teachers and schools.

As part of its commitment to opening up access to STEM and innovation opportunities for young people across the UK and Ireland, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is delivering free regional workshops in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London. Reaching more than 700 students from 13 schools this term alone, the sessions challenge young people to identify issues they care about, develop technology-driven solutions, and pitch their ideas, helping them build confidence in creative problem-solving, innovation and communication.

Following a workshop at a school in Stoke-on-Trent, one teacher said: “We’re using Samsung Solve for Tomorrow as the basis for our Key Stage 4 Non-Exam Assessment (NEA), so this is great for getting more focus and more entries for the competition.” One Year 10 student added: “This is so good, I think I’m on the way to London!”

The workshops are backed by teacher training designed to build lasting confidence rather than a one-off session. On Wednesday 11 November (4–5pm), teachers can join a free, interactive CPD (Continuous Professional Development) webinar exploring simple, classroom-ready techniques that help students generate ideas, solve problems and build creative confidence. Drawing on design thinking approaches used in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, as well as early careers insights from a Samsung colleague and a practising Design & Technology teacher, the session will help teachers and practitioners support young people to think more creatively. Teachers can register for the webinar here. Entries are submitted by a teacher or home-educating parent at solvefortomorrowuk.com.

Jessie Soohyun Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung, added: “As a parent working in the tech industry myself, I’m often asked how I’m preparing my own children for the future. I don’t always have the answer and know lots of parents feel the same way. What I do know is that exposure to hands-on experiences, relatable role models, and core skills like creativity and problem-solving are what young people need to chart their career.

“Young people have an incredible drive to innovate and through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, we want to help them channel their passions into tech for good solutions while building future-proof design-thinking skills. Seeing alumni like Sophie go onto start their own businesses and speak so confidently about their future is easily the most rewarding part of what we do.”

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