high aspirations but low expectations Uncertain future: Sophie Hawkshaw, 19, right, and Hannah Meegan, 17. Australia's young people have bold dreams for the future but many fear goals such as career success and financial independence might be out of reach, the country's biggest youth study shows. Almost 14,000 youngsters aged 15-19 were asked about their hopes, aspirations and concerns as part of Mission Australia's 2014 Youth Survey. More than 80 per cent of those surveyed said they wanted a good job and financial independence but only about 60 per cent felt they were achievable goals. The gap between aspirations and realistic expectations has been identified as a cause for concern, Mission Australia chief executive Catherine Yeomans said. "We are concerned there is a risk of young people falling through the cracks," she said. Quite clearly our young people are dreaming big, they are aspiring to career success, they do want to be financially independent, but they are concerned about their ability to achieve those goals. As a result they are telling us that coping with stress is a real issue for them. The young people who responded to the national survey rated education and work ethic as the top two factors to influence their career success and about half nominated personal connections and where they lived. Many young people observed high unemployment in their local area and this was reflected in the research, Ms Yeomans said. "These young people don't live in a vacuum," she said. There is more job uncertainty, there is increased casualisation of the work force. Not everybody has the same opportunities and some times it depends on where you live. The report recommended more support for students making the transition from school to further education, training or work and improved opportunities for meaningful work experience. Summer Hill teenager Hannah Meegan has just finished her Higher School Certificate at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and has struggled to find an entry-level job to help her save money over summer. "I've applied for so many positions but I'm finding it very difficult, even to get an interview," Ms Meegan, 17, said. At the moment the market is flooded with people who have just finished year 12 and are looking for work. The competition is really high for retail and hospitality jobs. Her friend Sophie Hawkshaw, of Ashfield, agreed that career ambitions might not be matched by reality. Ms Hawkshaw, 19, who is studying media arts and production at the University of Technology, Sydney, wants to work in film and television when she graduates but acknowledges finding a job could be difficult. "The entertainment industry is very competitive," she said. It's a small market in Australia and there are a lot of people interested in it. You have to work really hard to build a profile for yourself and develop a resume. It is a concern when you are doing a degree in a field where the job security isn't that strong and it's particularly scary when you have the HECS debt hanging over you.