The days when youngsters dreamed of being a pop star are well and truly over; now children have grown out their desire to be on the X-Factor and want to emulate the likes of Steve Jobs by craving a career in data and technology, according to a new study.
Online travel company Hotels.com quizzed 2,000 British adults and children, and found that many youngsters between the ages of 8 and 15 want to follow in the footsteps of successful businessmen Steve Jobs (16.8%) and Richard Branson (17.5%).
Two in five children said they want to work in technology and almost 10% said they want to “invent gadgets” when they grow up. Kids believe a career in technology means working in “cool” offices, the study found.
In contrast, only 9.6% chose Simon Cowell and just 4.3% named US president Barack Obama as role models.
In terms of career choice, “gadget inventor” came ahead of more traditional professions, such as doctor (7.8%) and pilot (4.5%).
According to the survey, technology has become one of the top four favourite subjects for students, with 34.9% wanting to continue with IT and/or science at university.
Stuart Silberg, vice-president of technology at Hotels.com, said: “In recent years, developments in the tech world such as social networking, 3D TVs, or the latest smartphone have become cool and desirable by the mainstream, hitting headlines and sparking discussions in the playground or by the water cooler.
“Gadgets have inspired future generations, who want to design the next cool phone or website. A career in technology can open many doors – not only can you work on a diverse range of projects, but it also offers an opportunity to work on a global scale and have a real affect on society. That’s why many companies are investing in mobile technologies and technologists around the world.”
The responses of children were mirrored by the adults in the survey, with 23.7% admitting to being more envious of Jobs’ career than Beyoncé’s. Almost a third of adults (30%) believe a person has to be “smart” to work in the tech industry.
Adults were also questioned regarding careers they find attractive when looking for a partner. The once much-maligned computer programmers were cited as being more attractive than pilots or actors, as it is considered a more “stable career” by 31.4% of the adult respondents.
