Gearing up for the new careers guidance strategy

With the Department for Education about to publish a comprehensive careers strategy (expected post referendum), articulating the careers provision responsibilities of each and every school from primary to age 18, how can schools gear themselves up for their new responsibilities?

By 2020, the government has stipulated that it wants a system where young people (and parents/carers) have timely access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their future options. Within a multi-faceted, integrated careers strategy, employers will work closely with schools and careers providers will deliver high-quality, independent and impartial advice and guidance.

From primary school, where the strategy will require an emerging awareness of different jobs to age 14 when facing GCSE choices and beyond, the guiding belief is that a 'world of work' understanding will contribute to students' motivation to do well and their grasp of the value of skills such as literacy and numeracy.

The new careers strategy will be based on the benchmarks published in the 'Gatsby report', which emphasises the requirement for schools to offer face-to-face guidance:

'Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but timed to meet their individual needs.'

If you're already thinking ahead as to how your school can optimise its careers provision, why not draw on the evidence and analysis that's available for inspiration?