How do Young People research Post-School Choices?
- Understanding the Target Market
- Last updated 10 Jan 2020
When it comes to research, young people are truly modern: the latest AllAboutSchoolLeaver statistics show that Google is overwhelmingly the most used resource for finding out information on school leaver choices, with 82% saying that’s what they use.
In at second, 59% use careers advice and job websites to find out about companies offering job opportunities for school and college leavers. Teachers / careers advisors are a close third, with 58% of the vote.
Following the announcement of the rise in tuition fees in 2010, there has been a spike in the number of searches for the term, “apprenticeships”. Interestingly, while searches for terms related to tuition fees also spiked in 2010, interest in in fees has gradually declined, while the level of interest around apprenticeships has remained consistently high.
Of course you can’t talk about young people and the Internet without talking about social media. AllAboutSchoolLeaver research shows that 62.20% of school and college pupils use social media to stay informed about the latest events and opportunities. Almost half (48.48%) also say they want to be the first to know when applications for opportunities open.
Around 37% of school and college pupils want to ask employers questions via social media: Facebook (79.37%) and Twitter (65.71%) are the most popular channels, followed by Instagram (17.62%) and Google+ (17.14%). An employer using Twitter could reach both school and college leavers as well as their teachers: AllAboutSchoolLeaver research shows that this channel covers two-thirds of both target groups.
Interestingly, a company’s presence on careers advice or job websites is deemed more important that the company’s own website.
Even though they are further down the list, 36% of young people (still a significant chunk) say that they find out information through companies attending their school or college, and 32% go to their parents.
