School children in 2018 aspire to be famous vloggers rather than pop stars
Gone are the days when children would prance around their bedrooms with a hairbrush to hand, imagining they are singing live to screaming crowds at Wembley Arena.
Now, the nation’s tweens sit behind a computer screen with an abundance of contouring palettes pretending to demonstrate a YouTube tutorial.
Yes, the influx of on-screen role models from fresh-faced Zoella to beauty junkie Tanya Burr has sparked a rise in primary school children who dream up a career in vlogging.
According to a recent survey backed by University College London, more children aspire to be famous YouTubers than pop stars.
The report, entitled Drawing the Future, analysed the responses of over 13,000 children aged between seven to 11 who were quizzed about their career goals.
And findings indicated a ‘shift in the aspirations of children’ which is reportedly ‘built largely upon new communication methods and the growth of online and console-based gaming’.
Researchers continued, ‘For more and more children and young people online celebrities and YouTube gaming ‘vloggers’ have taken the place of TV and movie stars’.
But parents are encouraged not to worry, as the study concluded: ‘While it may be argued that this new YouTube-based ‘celebrity’ culture may be an issue or problem, these careers – vloggers, professional gamers and game designers – are increasingly valid career options for children and young people.’
Other popular career paths which made the top ten for young boys included becoming a sportsman, joining the gaming industry or signing up to the police force.
While a large majority of female pupils dream of becoming a teacher, vet, sportswoman or doctor.
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