London: Forget music lessons, sports clubs and trips to the theatre.
The only out-of-school activity that will really enhance a teenager's career prospects is reading, research shows.
Oxford University academics have found that 16 year olds who read books at least once a month were significantly more likely to be in a managerial or professional job at 33 than those who did not read books at all.
No other activity, from sport to socialising with friends, going to museums and concerts, or doing practical activities such as cooking or sewing, affected their careers, unless they were also reading.
Youngsters who spent a lot of time playing computer games reduced their chances of going to university, although it was not found to hurt their employment prospects.
Education experts say the findings are proof of the importance of reading.
Sue Palmer, child development expert and author of Toxic Childhood, said: "Reading makes children more empathetic and helps them socialise. It actually changes the architecture of their brain. Not only are they more academically able. But they are also better at relating to other people and therefore more capable of holding managerial positions in the workplace."
Researchers at Oxford studied some 17,200 men and women aged 33, comparing their extra-curricular activities at the age of 16 and their careers at the age of 33. The study showed that there was a 39 per cent probability that girls would be in professional or managerial posts at 33 if they had read books at 16, but only a 25 per cent chance if they had not.
For boys the figures rose from 48 per cent to 58 per cent if they read books.
Speaking to delegates at the British Sociological Association annual conference, lead author Mark Taylor, of Oxford, said: "According to our results there is something special about reading for pleasure."
Reading books was also linked with a higher chance of students going to university.
