Begin with the person
Ask what kinds of problems they enjoy solving and how they prefer to learn. Avoid treating one answer as a permanent identity. Interests develop through exposure, and a useful conversation gives a person room to discover work they have not encountered.
Compare information, not status
Look at the requirements and support attached to a real route. A broad opinion about college or trades cannot answer questions about a particular programme. Gather the information together and recognise what remains uncertain.
Take one next step
An adviser meeting or a conversation with a practitioner may be more useful than trying to settle the entire future in one evening. Working Class encourages vocational routes to be part of that exploration, alongside other serious options.