03-1 How to decide

Every parent wants to help their children make the right choices in life.

But we all know how difficult it is to talk with teenagers sometimes.

We would like to help with a couple of hints and tips.

But first, make sure you know what the options are for their future and remember - the guidance for every child is different.

Listen carefully to what your teenager says about what he or she wants to do - if you're not sure what they really mean, ask some gentle questions.

Don't forget, people are more successful if they enjoy and are motivated by what they are doing.

Good advice for your teenager :

Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn and get a qualification through an apprenticeship. You could be working for an employer one day then studying at college the following day. This mixture of work and study can last between one and five years, depending on what you choose.

There are more than 250,000 apprentices in training in more than 200 different types of occupations, from accounting to floristry to textiles.

No matter what you do ...

...you are never on your own. Don't think that because you want to do something different to get a career that there is no support for you. There are many routes to success.

Get paid to learn

You can get up to £30 a week to help out with the costs of staying in learning after the age of 16 - and you could also get cash bonuses if you do well on your course. The Education Maintenance Allowance is paid straight into your bank account.

Get a skill - get a job

Employers are desperate for more people with skills such as enterprise, creativity, the ability to work in teams, good communication and showing initiative.