BBC Bitesize survey: The top 10 careers teens say they want - and who they'd like to work for

• A new careers survey has shown the number one dream job for teens is still ‘doctor’
• Other once popular careers, like ‘artist’ have dropped out of the top 10
• The top employer they’d like to work for is the NHS - even ahead of big international tech companies
• University is still the preferred route after finishing secondary school

With only a few months left until the summer exam season, many of this year’s secondary school leavers will be turning their eyes to what comes next.

Beyond studying for their A Levels, some will be tossing up whether university or tertiary studies - and the courses or apprenticeships they’ve already applied for - are really what they want. If they have changed their minds or are having doubts, the coming months can seem like an uncertain time.

This week is National Careers Week, and to mark the occasion, BBC Bitesize has published a collection of new resources aimed at guiding teens through this often tumultuous period.

It has also released the results of its annual careers survey, which saw the study support service speak to 4,001 young people aged between 13 and 16, to find out more about their future career aspirations - from what sort of jobs they want, to the companies they would like to work for, to their confidence in today’s job market.

Here’s what they had to say:

The top 10 careers teens want

For the second year in a row, teens have chosen ‘doctor’ as their number one dream job, followed by ‘engineer’ and ‘teacher’. This year also saw ‘pilot’ soar into the top 10 for the first time in the survey’s three-year history. Other notable shifts for 2025 include ’vet’ and ‘police officer’ climbing the rankings, Bitesize said, while ‘artist’ dropped out of the top ten entirely.

1. Doctor
2. Engineer
3. Teacher
4. Vet
5. Police officer
6. Lawyer
7. Nurse
8. Footballer
9. Building trade
10. Pilot

The top 10 employers they would like to work for

When it came to who they’d choose to work for “if they could pick any company in the world”, the UK’s NHS claimed the top spot - as it did last year. Google climbed to second place, switching positions with last year’s runner-up, Apple, while NASA held steady at number four. But 2025 also saw new entries debut in the top 10 list, including football clubs, government organisations, and being self-employed.

1. NHS
2. Google
3. Apple
4. NASA
5. Tesla
6. Football club
7. Self-employed
8. Microsoft
9. Police
10. Government

Getting there

The survey also revealed other significant insights into what young people value in their future career, as well as their general feelings about what the journey there could look like. Nearly half of respondents (47%) said university was their preferred route after finishing secondary school, while 25% were considering apprenticeships. Nearly two in 10 (17%) teens wanted to pursue a career that didn’t require either.

When it came to what they valued most in their future careers, ‘feeling good about what you do’ topped the list this year, followed by ‘happiness’ and ‘money’. But overall, teens were confident they’d be able to get into the career pathways they wanted. A massive 85% expressed belief they would land their dream job, Bitesize said.

“We hope these results provide inspiration for young people across the UK who will be thinking about the next steps when they leave school. We know it can be daunting to know where to begin but BBC Bitesize is a great place to start for parents and teens,” BBC education head Helen Foulkes said.

One of their new tools that might help is a perfect job quiz, she continued, which can help people to identify career areas they might thrive in.

For National Careers Week, BBC Bitesize has also published a whole new series of resources to support teens to make informed career choices, which will be available year-round. These include videos, podcasts, quizzes and toolkits with practical advice on navigating the next steps - like writing a CV, discovering your strengths, and making decisions about your future. You can find these online here.