Not only are teenagers spending a lot of time staring at screens, they're also often choosing their careers based on what they see there.
A quarter of high school students pick their future career based not on advice or personal interest, but rather on how they've seen that occupation represented on TV or in the movies, according to research released this week by Careerbuilder.
That guides their decisions about what to study as undergrads. But then, a few years down the road, roughly a third of full-time employees regret the major they chose.
With the rising cost of education and growing threat of an automated workforce, choosing a career that provides reliable opportunities and a decent paycheck is more important than ever.
According to Careerbuilder, these are the top jobs that pay strong wages, show steady growth and provide young employees with a good number of coworkers around their age (who may be better-equipped to grasp their use of work-related emojis).
And while some of these may seem less familiar, others you may even have seen on TV!
- Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors
2017 jobs: 68,590
Four-year growth: 5%
Avg. hourly earnings: $25.90
Percentage of workers 19–24: 22% - Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
2017 jobs: 35,352
Four-year growth: 7%
Avg. hourly earnings: $22.28
Percentage of workers 19–24: 20% - Forensic Science Technicians
2017 jobs: 15,033
Four-year growth: 12%
Avg. hourly earnings: $29.04
Percentage of workers 19–24: 18% - Camera Operators, TV, Video and Motion Picture
2017 jobs: 20,616
Four-year growth: 7%
Avg. hourly earnings: $27.85
Percentage of workers 19–24: 15% - Physical Therapist Assistants
2017 jobs: 87,426
Four-year growth: 13%
Avg. hourly earnings: $26.59
Percentage of workers 19–24: 15% - Film and Video Editors
2017 jobs: 30,073
Four-year growth: 18%
Avg. hourly earnings: $38.89
Percentage of workers 19–24: 13% - Surgical Technologists
2017 jobs: 106,195
Four-year growth: 7%
Avg. hourly earnings: $31.66
Percentage of workers 19–24: 11% - Sound Engineering Technicians
2017 jobs: 106,195
Four-year growth: 8%
Avg. hourly earnings: $29.87
Percentage of workers 19–24: 11% - Public Relations Specialists
2017 jobs: 240,660
Four-year growth: 7%
Avg. hourly earnings: $31.66
Percentage of workers 19–24: 9% - Web Developers
2017 jobs: 142,682
Four-year growth: 19%
Avg. hourly earnings: $34.09
Percentage of workers 19–24: 8%
Don't miss: If billionaire Richard Branson were 20 again, here's what he would do
