MORE than 60 per cent of the millennial workforce in Southampton say they are likely to make a major change to their job or career in the near future, research suggests.

Almost half of the people aged 21-40 taking part in a survey said they did not feel passionate about their current career.

Nearly 80 per cent said they had felt at a crossroads at least once in their professional lives.

The national research among the millennial age group was carried out for Get Into Teaching, the campaign to encourage people to consider teaching as a career.

The campaign says many are facing a “quarter life dilemma” as they ponder a new vocation before they reach 40.

More than a fifth of those responding in Southampton said they would be particularly likely to consider a change in January – and visits to the Get Into Teaching website peaked in January last year with more than 400,000 users.

Roger Pope, spokesperson for the campaign and one of the headteachers designated a National Leader of Education, said: “For many people the start of a new year is the time they are most likely to make a significant change to their lifestyle and this can include their job or career.

“This research highlights the importance to young professionals of being in a rewarding role they feel passionate about and how they want to make a change and forge a new career path before they reach their 40th birthday.”

Harriet Minter, a career coach and women in leadership advocate, said: “Your late twenties and thirties are a time of considerable personality development and growth, and it’s not surprising that more and more people are finding themselves at a career crossroads.

“People’s values, goals and motivations can change, so it makes sense that a growing number of professionals are coming to the realisation that they are in a career that is very different to what they had imagined when they first entered the working world. The desire for more fulfilment and a greater sense of purpose are recurring themes that I work with as a career coach.

“As more people seek work that better matches their values, it’s clear to see why many would consider teaching. Not only is it a profession that allows you to make a positive and lasting impact on children’s lives and society, but it is also one that provides great progression opportunities.”

Thirteen per cent of respondents said their 20s and 30s were the time of life they would make a career switch. More than 2,000 were surveyed nationally.