Introduction
A survey of parents of middle-school children was conducted. Administration varied, with some forms being mailed to parents and others being distributed at school events. A total of 414 forms were completed, with 61.1% completed by males and the balance by females, resulting in a relatively balanced but interesting response. Given the belief that most school paperwork is handled by mothers, the dominance of males responding to this survey suggests that careers may be more influenced by fathers than by mothers. This question should be tested in a future survey of students.

Most Frequently Recommended Careers
Parents were asked to list three career areas most frequently recommended to their child or children. Using the same categories as utilized in the student surveys, the 16 federal career clusters categories with the additional of a recreation and sports option, resulting in 17 categories.

Most frequently recommending, in order, are the following: The Parents’ preferences closely follow those suggested by the students, with manufacturing receiving the lowest rating of all.

Knowledge of Career Clusters
Parents were then provided a list with the 16 federal career clusters and asked to rate their knowledge about the careers. Following are the career clusters about which parents reported they “know a lot.” It is apparent that knowing a lot about a career area does not necessarily result in its being at the top of their list of recommendations, such as marketing and hospitality careers.

Parents reported the following for “do not know anything about this career cluster.” When categories of “do not know anything” and “do not know much” are combined, we get the following career areas about which the least is known by parents: The majority of parents know little about careers in manufacturing and STEM areas.

Careers Likely to be Recommended
Parents were asked which of the categories they would be very, somewhat, or not likely to recommend. The following summarizes the top responses for those they would be “very likely to recommend.” Five of the most-likely-to-be-recommended careers are also on the parent’s list of the top eight categories that they do not know much about. Therefore, we cannot conclude that knowing more necessarily results in a favorable recommendation. Furthermore, the categories are broad, so we do not know which particular jobs within the categories they may have been thinking of. For example, the health sciences would include everything from physician to long-term care aide.

Parents’ Perceptions of Child/Children’s Preferences
Parents were next asked to tell us which career areas they thought would be most interesting to their children. The following provides the ranked list for “most interesting.” (Parents also reported on the second and third most interesting areas. In this question, jut 2.3% of parents reported that manufacturing would be “most interesting” to their children. Consequently, although parents are positive about recommending the career, they do not conclude that this is a high choice among their students.

Most Important Considerations
Parents were asked to report what they considered most important in recommending jobs to their child or children. Parents were to rank their top four. In rank order are those characteristics that surfaced. (Note that percentages will exceed 100% because the percentages represent the % of those selecting that area who also named it their top choice.) The “other” category included flexibility for opportunities anywhere, combination of interest areas and career goals, students’ strengths not necessarily revealed through school work or tests, God’s leading, and appropriateness for special needs child. One parent indicated the question was not clear.

Information Sources
Parents were asked to rate the various sources of career information. In order, their preferences for “most important” are: (Total percentages represent of those who selected the source, the percentage that reported it as their top choice. The rank orders are the same with the total number of parents selecting that choice.) In total, 244 of the 411 respondents identified parents as a source – most, somewhat, or not too important. No parent reported that the parent was “not important at all,” the only category getting no entries in this category. The next highest number was for school counselors (161) and teachers (126). The importance of parents in the career decision-making process reflects the priority placed on parents’ input by the students. Interestingly, school counselors have a lot of influence in the minds of these parents, as do teachers. An additional opportunity may exist for the Project to enhance school programs and activities that would also involve parents in learning more about careers.

An additional 32 parents listed “other” as most important, with software programs, career nights, workers in the field, and research being the primary categories. One mother wrote that she has always been a homemaker and has no higher education, so she is not in a position to assist her children in career decision-making, saying “I know nothing at all to help my children.”

Parents’ Educational Levels Parents’ Current Careers
Parents were asked to list their current careers. A great variety of occupations were listed, at all levels of responsibility.