The subject of parental guidance in career choices is part of the Otago Careers Festival being held throughout the province this month, with Career Services, the Government's vocational guidance service, providing 10 electronic tips for parents on how to talk to their children about their future.
Practice leader Tess Livingstone said career expos and tertiary open days throughout May would provide an opportunity for parents to begin such conversations.
While Mr Gillions encouraged his children to pursue whatever career they wanted, he could not stop son Keith from joining him at Gillions Funeral Services.
After a 20-year software development career, Mr Gillions jun returned to the industry he grew up in, about six years ago.
He enjoyed working with his father, although he said it could become confusing for others as a "wink or a nod" between family often translated into a full instruction.
Working with family was not for everyone, he said, but he expected the next generation to join the business as well.
Ms Livingstone said research showed parents held authority on career decision-making and children benefited from being able to have ongoing career conversations with their parents.
These conversations needed to be implemented early in a child's development, as leaving it to year 12 or year 13 pupils was too late, she said.
"You can talk to your child from primary school about the roles they are interested in, the associated lifestyles, the careers they see around them and even how people choose to balance their different life roles."
The career tips are sent by email and can be subscribed to on the Career Services website, which also offered information about making study and training decisions, Ms Livingstone said.
