“The Guidance Gap”: How Parental Advice Is Fuelling the UK Skills Crisis

• Study finds 57% of young people feel pressured into 'traditional' careers by their parents or by teachers to pursue a path unaligned with their interests, as over a third (36%) of parents have discouraged their child’s preferred career path

• The Make Your Mark campaign led by IGD highlights a growing “Guidance Gap”, a disconnect between parental advice and modern career opportunities, contributing to the UK’s skills and labour shortage.

• A major driver of this bias is a misconception about career progression, as over half (53%) of parents don’t believe the food and drink industry offers a clear career ladder

LONDON, UK – 24 August 2025 – It has been revealed that over a third (38%) of young people aged 16-25 cite their parents as the single biggest influence on their career considerations. Yet a whopping 36% of parents have discouraged(1) their child’s preferred choice.

As part of IGD’s cross-industry Mmmake Your Mark campaign, the new research reveals that parents’ well-intentioned advice is often based on outdated perceptions and highlights a significant disconnect between parental hopes and young people’s aspirations. A problem which is contributing to growing national skills gaps and labour shortages across the food and drink industry.

The study found that despite half (49%) of parents saying their priority is for their children to enjoy what they do, they also actively encourage the pursuit of certain 'traditional' fields like medicine (21%), law (13%) and finance (15%), with only 9%(2) encouraging a career in the food and drink industry.

In contrast, 6 in 10 (61%) young people expressed a genuine passion for creative and non-traditional industries, including careers in food, hospitality and media. Yet, over a quarter (27%) admit to being worried that this route will disappoint their parents or go against their expectations.

A key driver of this parental bias appears to be a major misconception about career progression and salary in non-traditional sectors. With 53% believing the food and drink industry does not offer a defined career ladder and 37% believing that it is not well paid 37%.

Over half of parents (51%)(3) don’t feel informed on the food and drink industry, with less than one in five (19%) realising the breadth of diverse opportunities available.

Nearly a fifth (19%) of young people surveyed admit to not being aware of the jobs available, highlighting the need to showcase the breadth of exciting, purpose-driven possibilities that are on offer to them within food and drink. Many roles within food and drink are also going unnoticed, with surprisingly small numbers of young people being aware they can pursue careers such as an AI Specialist (11%), Insight Analyst (7%) or Sommelier (5%) in the industry.

A staggering 72%(4) of young people do not consider it a place where they could discover their purpose and learn essential skills, even though 78% of respondents have a passion that could be met in the food and drinks space.

Sarah Bradbury, CEO, IGD, comments: "Parents and teachers naturally want the best for children, but our research shows a clear and worrying gap between their perception of the job market and the reality. This ‘Guidance Gap’ is putting young people in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between following their passions and meeting parental expectations.

“The food and drink industry is one of the UK’s most dynamic and largest private-sector employers, offering incredible careers which are professional, varied, high-tech and well-paid. Through our cross-industry Mmmake Your Mark campaign, we want to bridge this knowledge gap and showcase to parents, career advisors and young people the rewarding careers available in our industry. It's time for a more candid conversation that balances well-intentioned guidance against the true breadth of careers young people have open to them.”

This mismatch is not just a family matter; it has national implications. By guiding young talent away from essential industries based on outdated views or lack of awareness, the UK is at risk of exacerbating critical skills gaps and labour shortages in sectors vital to the economy.

IGD is calling on parents, teachers, and young people to have more open conversations about exploring diverse career paths beyond the obvious. To support this, the Mmmake Your Mark campaign provides free resources and real-world case studies to help inform these crucial decisions.

For more information, resources, and to explore the diverse careers available in the food and drink industry, visit https://www.igd.com/social-impact/people or follow the Mmmake Your Mark LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mmmake-your-mark).

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

(1) All ‘Discouraged a career’ responses combined

(2) ‘Food, Hospitality & Culinary Arts (e.g., restaurants, hotels, catering)’ and ‘Food & Drink Production, Supply & Sustainability (e.g., farming, supply chain, manufacturing, food science)’ responses combined

(3) ‘Not at all informed’, ‘not very informed’ and ‘neutral’ responses combined

(4) This stat is the inverse of those who selected ‘A space to discover purpose and passion’ when asked ‘What, if anything, do you believe to be true benefits of careers in the food and drink industry? (Select all that apply)’

For media enquiries, please contact: Press igd@hopeandglorypr.com or press@igd.com

With more than 100 years of providing training to the food system, IGD trains over 13,500 students a year through its schools programme. IGD also helps 3,000 new professionals each year start their career journey with its New Starter Skills course, giving them the best foundation for a thriving career.

1. All content is owned by IGD. If you use or refer to any content in this press release, please credit IGD.

2. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/igd

3. IGD brings together stakeholders from across the food system, fostering action across on critical challenges across a broad cross section of forums. Through evidence-based insights, credible research, and thought leadership, IGD guides businesses to make informed decisions that not only benefit their operations but also contribute to the collective good of society. As a charity with a long-standing commitment to the food and grocery industry, IGD does not advocate for any single commercial interest but works towards fostering alignment on shared goals that can have a positive, lasting impact on both the industry and the communities it serves. Its neutrality and impartiality are key to its role in facilitating collaboration. By staying connected to the changing dynamics of the world, IGD ensures that the food system remains robust and sustainable, creating tangible benefits for businesses, consumers and society.

About Mmmake Your Mark

Mmmake Your Mark is a cross-industry initiative from IGD’s social impact programme. The campaign is designed to attract the next generation of talent to the food and drink industry by showcasing the incredible breadth of modern careers on offer and providing young people, parents, and educators with the information they need to see the industry as a first-choice career destination.

About Censuswide

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1000 nationally representative UK consumers (aged 16-25). The data was weighted to be nationally representative based on gender, age, and region. The data was collected between 13.08.2025 - 15.08.2025. A separate study was conducted amongst 1000 UK Parents (29+) of children aged 14-25 between 13.08.2025 - 15.08.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

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