Careers Guidance, Whose Job is it Anyway?

As the number of young people not in employment, education or training nears 1 million (987,000 people), which is over 13% of all 16-24-year-olds, alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear, not only in terms of the immediate impact, but for what it means to the future of these young people and their communities.

The Current Issue with Careers Guidance

The number of individuals who are ‘NEET’ includes unemployed and economically inactive young people who are not in education or training, but who’s responsibility is it to:

A) Reverse the trend and get more young people into meaningful, sustainable education, employment or training, and
B) Stem the tide and prevent future cohorts of young people failing to find a positive direction and destination?

Many people feel that it’s the role of schools and colleges, and that the solution is for them to provide better careers guidance.

Ofsted’s Recent Report Findings

In its recent report, Ofsted challenged colleges to significantly improve the quality of careers advice, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are twice as likely to be NEET than those from more well-off families. And the report also highlighted that improvements are needed to CEIAG in schools, finding that most college students cannot recall receiving meaningful careers guidance during their time at school, and that they often chose further education courses based on the convenience of getting to the college, or what their friends were doing, rather than because of informed, planned career aspirations.

So what are some of the key issues that are impacting young people in relation to careers guidance?

In its report, Ofsted criticises schools and colleges for the lack of collaboration, particularly in supporting students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. It found that many providers offer only basic, generic careers advice, with very few tailoring their guidance to the needs of individual students. This is a particular problem for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. They often may not have access to the networks and opportunities, outside of formal learning, which offer experiences to discover a wide range of careers that may appeal to them, or suit their ambitions.

The Ofsted report also found:

• Most students interviewed as part of the research said they could not remember careers advice that they received at school. This meant that many started college without clear ideas about their courses or career options, increasing the pressure on the college to provide guidance.
• Around 80% of students felt supported and well-prepared for their next steps after college, crediting the careers advice and guidance that they received from staff, both careers specialists and teaching staff, with helping them to build their confidence.
• Colleges have difficulties in identifying students needing extra support due to limited information sharing during the transition from schools. Few institutions use available tools, such as matching postcodes with deprivation data or the Department for Education’s GIAP service, to target support to disadvantaged students.
• There are limited qualified careers advisers, which means that colleges rely on staff who may not have specific CEIAG qualifications.
• Many colleges also reported a lack of work experience placements, especially for students on Level 1 and 2 courses or T Levels. This disproportionately affects disadvantaged students, who may lack resources or connections to secure their own placements.

Beyond Education: Industry’s Role

While the Ofsted report also makes some very valid recommendations, particularly in relation to identifying and supporting students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, schools and colleges, and local and national careers service providers, cannot shoulder this responsibility alone.

It’s critical that industry and employers take an active role in supporting careers information and inspiration for young people.

As the world of work continues to evolve rapidly, the gap between education and employment becomes even more challenging for young people to navigate, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Because of their close links with employers, industry professional bodies are uniquely placed to offer real-world insights into the skills, qualifications and attributes that are most valued in the workplace. By engaging directly with schools, colleges and youth organisations, sector professional bodies can demystify careers and progression pathways, and help young people make more informed decisions about their futures and how to get there.

Professional bodies can also help young people to understand the breadth of opportunities available, including roles that may not be well-known or traditionally promoted through careers education. Hearing from professionals working in different sectors, particularly those from diverse backgrounds, can be especially powerful in challenging stereotypes and broadening horizons. This kind of engagement not only raises aspirations but also gives young people the confidence to pursue routes that align with their interests and strengths.

Benefits for the Future Workforce

When professional bodies invest in careers information and education, they are also investing in the future workforce of their sector. By inspiring and informing young people early on, industries can help to address skills shortages and ensure a pipeline of talent that is well-prepared for the challenges, and the roles of tomorrow that may not even exist today. By collaborating with guidance professionals and educators to shape more relevant and engaging careers resources and programmes, sector bodies benefit both young people and the economy as a whole.

Economic Impact and Growth

The sector’s growth is driven by an increased national focus on public health and wellbeing, with every £1 spent on sport and physical activity generating nearly £4 in return through health, community, and economic benefits.

With a multitude of careers that extend well beyond the ‘recognised’ jobs such as coaching and fitness instruction, to roles in community inclusion management, health condition recovery and prevention, customer service, marketing, IT, and facilities management, opportunities are wide ranging.

Social Impact of Sector Careers

Careers in the sector allow young people to inspire others, build healthier communities, and directly contribute to reducing healthcare costs, economic inactivity and social issues by promoting active, positive lifestyles.

Because of these impacts, the sector is particularly keen to attract young people from diverse backgrounds. In order to engage people who are experiencing life challenges in being physically active, which is often the key to recovering from/preventing health conditions, increasing community cohesion, and supporting them to become economically active, it’s essential that the sector workforce and the professionals that are working with them, understand and have lived experiences of those challenges.

The Way Forward

Ultimately, careers education, information, advice and guidance itself won’t solve the seemingly spiralling ‘NEET’ issue. But it’s a crucial factor in addressing some of the contributing factors.

As important a role that industry has in the design of learning and qualifications, without sectors and employers taking ownership of how they generate interest in working in their fields, young people won’t be engaged enough to consider those learning opportunities.

It’s time for every industry to recognise their role in helping us turnaround the trend of young people who are unable to discover a career destination that inspires them to have a positive future.

By Natasha Eason, Associate Director – Education, CIMSPA