Today’s news review looks at the findings of a City & Guilds survey on careers advice.
Careers guidance
Today, 24 August, a City & Guilds survey claimed that young people in Britain are facing a “postcode lottery” when it came to the careers advice available to them.
The survey suggested there were regional differences in the careers advice offered to pupils. It also suggested that teenagers had a skewed view of jobs that could be available to them in the future. City & Guilds used the report to call for a national careers guidance services for every child.
The story was covered on the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and in the Telegraph.
However, the Today Programme failed to cover the report fairly, and did not reflect the work the Government is doing to improve careers advice across the country. In fact, schools and colleges have a legal duty to provide careers guidance to all 12- to 18-year-olds. And what media coverage has also not acknowledged is the excellent progress the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) has made since its introduction in 2014.
The CEC’s nationwide Enterprise Adviser Network has appointed 1,000 Enterprise Advisers who are working with over 700 schools. The CEC has also invested £10 million in supporting 250,000 young people to find a career which best suits them.
The CEC is working with employers, schools and colleges to effectively with open young peoples’ eyes to choices and opportunities, broadening horizons and raising aspirations.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
We know the importance of good careers education and guidance in helping young people, whatever their background, make informed choices, climb the ladder of opportunity, and go on to fulfilling jobs. That’s why we’ve committed £90m to careers provision over this Parliament to transform the quality of the careers education, advice and guidance offered to young people across the country.
All maintained schools must provide independent guidance for pupils on the full range of education and training options and the Careers & Enterprise Company is also doing vital work helping schools and colleges develop closer links with businesses, including launching a nationwide network of advisers, so they can play a greater role in preparing young people for the world of work.
Find out how to get involved with the Careers & Enterprise Company's new mentoring scheme.