Teenagers are ditching the traditional idea of success defined by job titles, management roles and “climbing the corporate ladder”, according to new research commissioned by housebuilder Barratt Redrow.
In a survey of 2,000 young people aged 13-28, more than half (51%) of teens said climbing the corporate ladder is “not for them”.
It is the ninth consecutive year the housebuilder has surveyed young people on their career ambitions and aspirations – and reflects a growing shift in what the next generation wants from work.
The survey found that today’s teenagers are drawn to careers that offer skills, autonomy, tangible outcomes and a faster route to financial stability.
Nearly three in five (59%) said managing people in an office is less appealing than learning a practical skill, while 62% would rather master a hands-on skill than office politics and 67% prefer to manage their own work.
Almost half (48%) said earning a living from a skilled trade is now more aspirational than office-based management jobs.
Shifting priorities
Faced with rising living costs and concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, the research shows teenagers are prioritising careers that allow them to earn earlier, avoid debt and build a secure future.
Half of the teenagers surveyed (50%) said good pay is one of the most important factors when thinking about their future career, followed by work-life balance (37%), feeling proud of what they do (33%) and job security (27%). By contrast, status or job title ranks low, selected by just 8%.
Housing affordability was a major concern for respondents. Nearly two-thirds of the teenagers (65%) said being able to afford a home matters more than having a high-status job title, while for 28%, earning enough to buy a home is one of their biggest worries about the future.
According to the findings, 40% of teens believe trade jobs will earn more than office jobs by 2030. Furthermore, 47% said that despite their parents going to university, they are choosing or have done an apprenticeship instead. This is a rapid shift in opinion from three years ago, when 68% of 16-24-year-olds surveyed said there was a general stigma around being an apprentice, compared to pursuing higher education.
A break from tradition
The survey found 61% want a very different career path from their parents, while half (50%) said job titles matter less to them than they did to their parents’ generation.
More broadly, traditional office careers are increasingly viewed negatively. Teenagers most commonly associate office and corporate jobs with being boring (31%), long hours (28%), stressful (28%) and lots of meetings (27%). Just 14% associate office jobs with high status.
Future uncertainty is also playing a role, with almost half of teens (48%) saying concerns about AI and automation had made office-based jobs less appealing.
This may be one of the reasons why apprenticeships are increasingly seen as a practical alternative to university.
More than half of teens (52%) said they are likely to choose an apprenticeship, driven by the opportunity to gain hands-on experience (46%), earn money from day one (43%), avoid student debt (34%) and access more job opportunities (28%).
Almost two-thirds (64%) said apprenticeships are viewed more positively today than 10 years ago. Furthermore, nearly seven in 10 (69%) believe learning a trade can provide long-term financial security.
Is construction on the radar?
Despite young people rethinking what success looks like, just 9% said they are most interested in working in construction. This points to an urgent need for the industry to increase awareness of the varied career opportunities available to the next generation.
To help address this and support more young people into the industry, Barratt Redrow is announcing 207 apprenticeship vacancies ahead of National Apprenticeship Week 2026 (9-15 February). The apprenticeships will provide recruits with an opportunity to earn while they learn and progress into careers in the housebuilding sector.
David Thomas, CEO of Barratt Redrow, said: “Young people joining our workforce want practical skills, financial security and careers where they can see the impact of their work.
“Construction is well placed to offer all of that, with a wide range of roles, great pay and job security, whether through apprenticeships, graduate programmes or professional careers.
“As the industry faces a growing skills gap alongside increasing demand to build, investing in the next generation through skilled apprenticeships that lead to long-term careers, is not just good for construction, but essential for the future of UK housebuilding.”
