The government has published details of its long-awaited careers strategy.
Here are the main proposals for schools.
1. Dedicated “careers leaders”
£4 million in new funding will provide “training and support” for at least 500 schools and colleges to train a dedicated careers leader.
This funding works out as about £8,000 per school, and by the looks of it there isn’t additional funding to pay new staff.
The government’s aim is for every school and college to eventually have a designated careers leader, but it hasn’t said whether further funding will be available.
2. Careers trials in primary schools
These pilots will run in the government’s 12 social mobility “opportunity areas”, and cost £2 million.
Under the trials, ways of engaging younger children on the “wealth of careers available to them” will be tested in primary schools.
3. One business interaction a year
Secondary schools will be expected to provide pupils with “at least one meaningful interaction with businesses every year”.
There will be a particular focus on employers from the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) industries, to “help deliver the high-skilled workers we need in these industries”.
4. 20 new “careers hubs”
A £5 million scheme will see 20 “careers hubs” set up across the country to link schools, colleges, universities and employers.
The scheme will be run by the Careers and Enterprise Company, which to date has already received around £90 million in funding for its activities.
The expectation that secondary schools should provide ‘at least one meaningful interaction with businesses every year’ is woefully low. A well-designed careers education and guidance programme should provide more than this.
All pupils at some time in KS3 and 4 can take part in, say, an Industry Day, work experience and follow-up (12 working days), mock interviews and follow-up (one day). In addition, pupils can take part in activities such as: Newspaper Day, visits to local businesses/FE colleges/sixth form colleges, talks from local businesses, university outreach.
All this needs co-ordinating, of course. That’s why secondary schools need a designated careers teacher (I was one such). But this requires adequate funding and there’s no sign that that will be forthcoming.