Brits Reveal the Careers They Could Have Had — and Who They Blame for Missing Out

THREE in ten British men (30%) believe with the right support from their parents and teachers, they could have been a professional footballer.

While 14% of Brits say they have what it takes to be a professional singer or musician.

Actor (12%), artist (10 per cent), doctor (9%) and pilot (9%) also made the list of top vocations Brits think they could have been great at.

While one in twenty insist they could have been an F1 driver, a top chef or a zookeeper.

And it seems parents are to blame, as a whopping as half (50%) of working Brits insist they were forced down a career path that wasn’t their choice, with one in four (24%) say their current job makes them unhappy.

According to the study, as many as 43% insist they would have chosen a more creative occupation if they’d been given the opportunity.

One in five (20%) feel resentful about being shoehorned into a certain career, while a quarter (26%) are frustrated at where they have found themselves.

But it isn’t just our parents we blame, two thirds (62%) claim they were given unhelpful career advice during their school days, according to the survey by international schools group, ACS.

After being shoehorned into a career they didn’t want themselves, 85% of parents say they will encourage their children to follow their dreams rather than take a job they’re not interested in.

Two thirds (66%) go a step further and think that the current UK exam system pushes kids to pick subject choices too early, limiting future study and career options, and 62% of their teenage children think the same

Martin Hall, Head of School, ACS Hillingdon said: “The research shows that the nation’s workers feel like they have been short changed when it comes to their careers, and the next generation fear the current system will send them the same way.

“What’s concerning is that the same system that created these regrets is still in place. Our research shows 66% of parents believe the English exam system forces children to narrow their subject choices too early – at 14 and 16 – often before they understand what opportunities exist.

“Parents experiencing career regret shouldn’t assume the only path is the one they took. They should ask schools: Are you preparing my child to be ready for an unpredictable future, or forcing them to be ‘single subject specialists’? That’s the question that matters.”

A free copy of the ACS report “Too soon to decide: How early subject specialisation makes career paths harder to chart” is available from https://www.acs-schools.com/early-decisions-report/

1.            Professional Footballer 17%

2.            Singer/musician                              14%

3.            Actor `                                                12%

4.            Artist                                                  10%

5.            Doctor                                               9%

6.            Pilot                                                    9%

7.            Author/Novelist                               8%

8.            Astronaut                                          7%

9.            Veterinarian                                     6%

10.         TV Presenter                                     6%

11.         Explorer/Adventurer                     5%

12.         Chef/Restaurateur                         5%

13.         Fashion Designer                            5%

14.         Dancer/Ballerina                             5%

15.         Zookeeper                                        5%

16.         Formula 1 Driver                             5%

17.         YouTuber/Influencer                     4%

18.         Film Director                                    4%

19.         Professional Gamer                        3%

20.         Comedian                                         3%

This research of 1,500 working Brits and 1,000 parents with children aged between 16-21 and at school, college, university and 1,000 16-21 year olds was commissioned by ACS International Schools and conducted by Perspectus Global in September 2025.