Revealed: New entry in top 10 jobs teenagers want

Based on the results of the Bitesize Careers survey 2025.

Doctor has topped the list of jobs teenagers want when they're older for the second year running, with vet and police officer moving up in the rankings, according to the annual BBC Bitesize Careers survey.

Pilot entered the top 10 for the first time, while doctor, engineer and teacher remained the top three most popular choices.

The survey, of more than 4,000 13-16-year-olds from across the UK, also saw teenagers rank the NHS as the organisation they most like to work for, ahead of Google, Apple and NASA. 'Government' also entered that list for the first time.

Almost half of those surveyed (47%) said they'd prefer to go to university after finishing school, with a quarter (25%) saying an apprenticeship would be their preferred route.

Top 10 jobs teens want

For the second consecutive year, almost one in 10 teenagers chose doctor as their preferred profession.

Eighty-five percent of teens surveyed said that they were confident that they could get their desired job.

Top 10 desirable companies for teens

When asked which company or organisation they’d choose if they could work anywhere in the world, the NHS was number one for the second year running.

Google moved up one place from 2024 from third to second, swapping places with Apple, while NASA remained at number four.

This year saw three new entries to the list – football club, self-employed and government.

What matters to young people about the world of work?

Teenagers said 'to feel good about what you do' was the most important thing about any future job, up one place since 2024. 'Happiness' was second, down one spot from last year, while 'money' ranked third.'

The majority (57%) of young people surveyed said they would not be willing to pursue a job that they did not enjoy even if it was well paid.

When asked what would make them want to work somewhere the most, 'opportunities for training and development' was the most popular answer (29%), a 3% increase since last year. Having the best salary offer came in second, with flexible working hours in third.

How do young people view their futures?

Thinking about their options for when they're older, just under half (47%) of respondents in the survey, conducted by Survation on behalf of BBC Bitesize Careers, said that going to university was the route that appealed to them most, with a quarter (25%) choosing doing an apprenticeship as their top choice. Seventeen percent said they'd like to do a job that doesn't require an apprenticeship or university degree.

More than eight out of 10 teens (85%) surveyed said that they were confident that they could get their desired job.

When asked which factors they thought were most important for getting a good job, almost half (47%) of respondents said 'hard work'. 'Getting good exam results' was the second most popular answer, chosen by just over a quarter (26%) of those surveyed. Just under half (46%) of teens surveyed said your background always or often affects the likelihood of you getting the job you want.

Survey information

Survey conducted by Survation between 25 November - 12 December 2024
Population sampled: Children aged 13 - 16, across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Sample size: 4,001

Previous surveys

Insights from previous years' surveys can be found here:
2023 survey
2024 survey

Further career help and support for students

The survey results have been released during National Careers Week as part of BBC Bitesize Careers' drive to give young people more tools and information when it comes to making decisions about their next steps.

You can join Bitesize Careers throughout National Careers Week (3-8 March 2025), and year-round, for bespoke content to help teens make more informed choices about their futures and navigate the world of work.