As parents, we all wish for our children to be the best. Most of us somehow translate this into finding them a stable and prestigious profession like engineering. But then what happens when your son tells you he doesn’t want to be an engineer? Which can be tough when you always picture some amount of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the future? Worry not- you are not alone, and most importantly, need not panic. In this blog, we will uncover what to do when your boy is not especially interested in engineering and how you may be able to assist him in finding a career that he will be content with.
Understanding why he’s not interested in engineering
First of all, you must first try to understand why your son won’t want to be an engineer. Engineering, for one, is a tough discipline or science- a combination of maths, science, and problem-solving. Not everyone likes to do those things or is good at them, which is okay.
Your son might feel overwhelmed because of the pressure around the need to perform well or just not enjoy the process. He may have other passions, as well. Maybe he’s creative in the areas of music, writing, or even art or he’s interested in business, social science, or technology in an unrelated area. This is where an open mind and a willingness to listen are the key as a parent.
1. Have an open conversation –
If the child goes into your house and then tells you he is not interested in engineering, probably one of the greatest desires at this point would be to convince him otherwise. However, this is a moment where listening needs to take priority over talking. Sit down with him and have a completely nonjudgmental conversation, ask him why he isn’t interested in engineering and what he likes instead. Encourage him to be free with his interest, even if it seems to be far from what you had in mind. Avoid making your expectations come true or dismissing him. Here, the aim would be a better understanding of his opinion and getting onto common ground for his future plans.
2. Explore other career options –
One of the major reasons that many parents encourage their children to become engineers is because they believe it is one of the most secure and well-paying jobs. Although engineering provides stability, it is definitely not a one-way ticket to success. There are indeed high-paying careers found in a variety of fields which do not involve an engineering degree.
If he’s more of a creative thinker, then it’s going to be very rewarding in design, writing, film, or art careers. If he loves problem-solving not so much in the direction of maths and science, then business, marketing, or entrepreneurship may be his fields. Even technology itself is a broad field that’d let him get into coding, data analysis, or even tech management and not necessarily an engineer.
Some of the areas that may spark his interest are:
- Digital Marketing
- Graphic Design
- Journalism or Media
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance and Accounting
- Psychology or Social Work
- Environmental Sciences
Ask your son to read more about similar options by taking online courses, doing internships, or consulting people in the field. The premise is to encourage him to find out what excites him as long as he knows there’s something practical within that field.
3. Help him to discover his strengths and passions –
If not an engineering student, then it is a perfect opportunity for both of you to find out what he really excels at and is interested in. Every child has his talents, and your son would not be an exception to this rule. Encourage him to take some kind of assessment or career aptitude test to figure out what job types will best fit his natural abilities. For example: if he is a good communicator, jobs in journalism, content creation, or marketing might be ideal for him.
He can take time to understand what gets him excited. These are teenage years, and defining passions is a formative part of this period. There should be no rush for such a process. If he enjoys numbers but not engineering, finance or economics may be a great fit. If, however, he enjoys problem-solving but has no interest in maths-heavy subjects, then a management or product design pathway could be right up his street.
4. Provide support, not pressure –
If your son does not like engineering, then that, in fact, is an opportunity for him as well as for you to know what he is better at and what he is enthusiastic about. Every person has some special talents, just as every person has really odd ones, but your son is no exception either. Guiding him to take tests or career aptitude tests may help you understand which careers are going to be the best fit for his natural abilities.
On the other hand, if he enjoys solving problems and dislikes mathematics-based subjects, then management or a product design role could be considered of interest. Tell him to take his time to discover what really gets him going.
5. Look for role models and mentors –
Mentors can share experiences, give advice on how to succeed in their respective fields, and even guide him through challenges if encountered. Your son may not take your advice all the time, but he might be more receptive to someone already established in the field.
You can even dare him to read biographies, watch interviews or attend events of his interest. Witnessing how others succeeded outside of engineering might just open up his eyes.
6. Keep engineering on the table as an option for them –
A few actually find their love for engineering much later in life; they may desire to do it in more specialised or, more likely, tangential field-specific ways-product design, tech startups, and so forth, or environmental engineering.
Make sure your son understands that engineering is not a category of exclusive, but one that he can keep in the box for later if he likes. Keep the discussion about finding a career that best suits his interest and passion, which may or may not be engineering.
What matters most at the end of the day is that your son becomes happy, successful, and fulfilled. Should he not like engineering? That’s okay too. There are many career paths which hold stability, growth, and satisfaction from some; well he can find many things which may align more closely to his talents and passions.
His role is to be guided, supported, and encouraged to strive for what he thinks will fulfil him. Open conversation regarding alternative career paths and unconditional support from his family could help him find a career that suits him best. It might even turn out to be even better than what you had envisioned in mind for an engineer’s career.
It is a very complex and personal question, to say what in the case of DPS Warangal, one should do if the son is not interested in pursuing engineering. We at DPS Warangal, known for providing holistic education in Warangal, probably make things even more specific and specialised. What we actually do here is help him decide his strengths and interests and create enough platform for diverse opportunities, so that he succeeds on his own terms and truly flourishes along the way.