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What do you want to be when you’re older?

  • Written by Ross Hompstead, Site Lead Northern Ireland Tech Hub at ASOS.com

    “I’m going to be a lawyer.”

    This proclamation was made by an overenthusiastic 12-year-old, in response to the question ‘What do you want to be when you’re older?’ in his first week of secondary school. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. In his mind, the answer was as close to a statement of fact as you could get. 

    The response must have been impactful, too. 12 years later the teacher who asked the question would recount, with a remarkable degree of accuracy, both the answer and the gusto with which it was delivered. They also expressed, whether meaning to or not, a tangible disappointment that the statement did not end up being true: -

    “I remember, clearly, the commitment with which you answered the question. I was sure that you would make it a reality and become a lawyer. So…you ended up in IT?!”

    In case you haven’t guessed, that 12-year-old was me! While we could explore many different aspects of this story (perhaps ‘Where did it all go wrong?!’) I want to focus on the question:

    What do you want to be when you’re older?

    As a father of a 4-year-old this deep and meaningful question is slowly becoming a natural part of our conversations, much to my delight. 

    Depending on the day of the week (or, more accurately, the last activity she was doing) the answer can vary anywhere from a ballerina to a health visitor. As cute as these responses are, the highlight to date has been: -

    “Daddy, when I grow up, I want to be a race car villain!”

    Now, I’m not entirely sure what a race car villain is but I intend to find out. I might even consider a career change myself…

    While the variation in the answer is often a source of hilarity, it’s interesting to think about the why behind the answers:

    Children use their imagination to come up with endless possibilities in response to this question. If they can dream it, they can be it. Children don’t place any limitations on themselves or back away from an answer because they are afraid of failing. 

    There is a lot we can learn from a child’s approach here. The reality is, we rarely get to think of the answer as the question isn’t asked. 

    When do we stop asking the question?

    We ask children this question frequently as they grow up, hoping to encourage them in thinking about, planning for and owning the direction of their future. 

    When children get to the end of compulsory education, we expect them to make an ‘informed’ decision that will impact the rest of their lives by choosing a career path. We then stop asking this question, considering the decision made and direction set. 

    Which brings us to the risk of placing such focus on the question this early in life then without keeping the answer under review. When we take this approach we create a sense of finality — make this decision now and stick to it for the rest of your life. 

    For me, 16-year-old Ross had gone off the idea of a career in law. I didn’t really know what I was passionate about or what interested me. How could I — I had limited experience of the world never mind of work! I always enjoyed playing with and building computers, so I chose a degree in Computer Science. This set the trajectory for my life.

    The thing is, the world no longer works like that…

    Do we need to keep asking the question?

    While previous generations would often have ‘a job for life’, this is no longer the case. In fact, it’s now an exception rather than the rule. 

    On one hand, the world continues to evolve bringing inevitable turbulence along the way. Economic pressures and uncertainty mean the days of starting a company and having employment guaranteed for the rest of your life have all but disappeared in most industries. 

    Looking from another more positive perspective, the transferability of core skills across roles and industries is starting to be recognised and given weight. 

    Diversity of thinking is rightly being recognised as a differentiator for companies that want to develop a culture of innovation. The embracing of people with different backgrounds and ways of thinking is helping companies succeed in ever-changing and challenging markets. 

    By continuing to ask the question, we are encouraging people to think about their careers, not as a linear path but, rather, as a journey with multiple paths and routes. 

    Why should we care?

    On average, an individual spends 33% of their life at work. That’s a long time to be doing something you’re not passionate about or simply don’t enjoy, all based on a decision you made as a child…

    We need to keep asking the question to challenge ourselves and encourage one another to embrace opportunities. Doing so sets us on a path towards a fulfilling life. 

    As individuals, we can find what we are passionate about and pursue that. Asking yourself the question is a good way of focusing on the here and now as well as the future. 

    When I think about this from the perspective of the Northern Ireland Tech Industry, we need to be asking the question to promote the opportunities available to those considering a career in tech. 

    As the NI tech industry continues to grow, we are increasingly speaking about the ‘skills shortage’. While I agree with this in terms of senior talent, I disagree with there being a skills shortage when it comes to emerging talent. 

    Over the past 12 months, since joining the ASOS NI Tech Hub, I have seen hundreds of applicants to our Assured Skills Academies, supported by DfE, Invest NI and delivered at SERC. 

    These are people from many different backgrounds, passionate about embracing an opportunity to take their first steps into a career in tech. This includes graduates from different disciplines, career switchers and people returning to work to name a few. Investing in this diverse, emerging talent is key to the success of the NI Tech Industry as we continue to grow.

    What next?

    In 2022 ASOS will have offered 80 people the opportunity to embark on a career in tech through 4 Assured Skills Academies. 

    This is a large part of the reason I took my role with ASOS — it provides the opportunity for people to start their tech career who otherwise may not be able to while bringing ASOS significant value through diversity of thinking and also investing in growing the NI Tech Industry. I strongly encourage other companies to explore the options available and invest in the next wave of talent coming into the industry. 

    As leaders, we need to be asking the question to everyone in our organisations: What do you want to be when you’re older? 

    The challenge is then how we empower them to work towards the answer…

    About the author

    Aoife is a Sync NI writer with a previous background working in print, online and broadcast media. She has a keen interest in all things tech related. To connect with Aoife feel free to send her an email or connect on LinkedIn.

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