Four key priorities, such as ensuring that students have access to work experience and tailored support, will form the “bedrock” of the government’s new careers strategy, skills minister Anne Milton has said.

Ms Milton, speaking yesterday at the Careers Education and Guidance Summit in London, said the four “themes” integral to the government’s proposed careers strategy would be: ensuring every school and college has a high-quality careers programme; providing opportunities for work experience; offering tailored support to students; and utilising “rich sources of information about jobs and careers”.

Careers advice, Ms Milton said, “is the foundation upon which some of our biggest reforms will be built”. She added that getting the strategy right “is so important for the future success of this country”.

‘Careers guidance is central to social mobility’

“This skills revolution is dependent upon people having the best possible advice about the career path they should take. One that makes the most of their talents,” Ms Milton said. “Careers guidance is central to social mobility. It is about making sure that people from communities in every part of the land can develop the knowledge and confidence they need to progress. And have a clear plan to help them get there.”

In April, an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Act by UTC founder Lord Baker ensured that FE providers will be able to inform registered pupils about technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.

Meanwhile, a survey by the Association of Colleges (AoC) in June revealed that only 1 per cent of FE colleges found it “very easy” to secure work placements for their students, while three-quarters said it was “fairly difficult” or “very difficult”.

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