Every school and college is to have a dedicated careers leader in place by the start of the 2018-19 academic year, the government has said.

Ministers will allocate £4 million to fund the appointment of dedicated careers specialists, who will offer up-to-date advice on the job market.

Making the announcement this morning, skills minister Anne Milton said that this will ensure that pupils have access to the skills that employers need, post-Brexit.

The Department for Education will also provide £5 million to create 20 “careers hubs” across the country, linking schools and colleges with local universities and employers.

And secondary schools will be expected to provide pupils with at least one “meaningful interaction” with business each year, the DfE has said. There will be a particular focus on ensuring contact with employers from science, technology engineering and maths industries.

Raising aspirations

The DfE will also allocate £2 million to pilot ways of increasing awareness among primary-school children of the range of careers available to them. These trials will be focused in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the country, as a way of raising pupils’ aspirations.

The new strategy has been developed in partnership with the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and coordinated through the Careers and Enterprise Company.

It will stand alongside the recent £500 million investment in new T levels, designed to offer a technical alternative to academic education.

Ofsted will hold schools and colleges to account for the careers provision they offer to pupils.

‘Fulfilling life’

Launching the new strategy this morning in Birmingham, Ms Milton said: “Without access to the best-possible careers support, some people will miss out on the opportunities available.

“It matters to me that we give people from all backgrounds the best-possible preparation to move into a job or training that enables them - whatever their background or wherever they live - to have a fulfilling life.”

And Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT headteachers’ union welcomed the announcement. But, he added: “The NAHT needs to see how these additional responsibilities will be supported by government in already over-stretched and cash-strapped schools.

“The initiatives in themselves are excellent.  But we know that schools are already struggling to resource careers guidance and these additional responsibilities will tip them over the edge.  It’s a great strategy, but it must be properly funded.”

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