Three-quarters of teachers and business leaders have said that careers guidance is more important than ever because of Covid-19, according to a new report published today.

The Careers Education in England’s Schools and Colleges report, published by the Careers and Enterprise Company, found that 72 per cent of college and school leaders said careers advice would be either their top priority or in their top five priorities in the year ahead. 

Earlier this week, new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showed 300,000 16- to 24-year-olds have lost a job since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The report also found that the majority of business leaders (82 per cent) believed that employers needed to work with young people in schools and colleges on careers guidance, and three-quarters (77 per cent) believed that they had a responsibility to ensure school leavers do not become a “lost generation”. 

‘A hard road ahead’

John Yarham, interim chief executive of the Careers and Enterprise Company, said that careers guidance had a vital role to play in supporting young people through the ongoing uncertainty and challenges they face.

He said: “Good career guidance matters. It helps young people understand the world of work, make the most of their talents and realise their potential. It also drives positive outcomes for our economy and society such as developing skills, improving productivity and providing a pathway for social mobility.

“The challenge we face is unprecedented and profound. There is hard work to do and a hard road ahead. It is therefore important we build on the progress made and the knowledge of what works to provide the support our young people need both at this critical time and forward into the future.”

The data also showed that young people’s skills and work readiness are improving: nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of young people said they were more aware of different careers as a result of careers provision, and more than two thirds (69 per cent) said that they had a clearer idea about what they needed to do to achieve their ambition. 

Nicky Morgan: We need to redouble the effort

Former education secretary and trustee of the Careers and Enterprise Company, Nicky Morgan, said that schools, colleges and employers needed to “redouble efforts” on careers education.

She said: “The outbreak of an unprecedented global pandemic has created huge challenges to the economy, to education, and to the opportunities open to young people. Careers education has the potential to be part of the answer. While we have come a long way over the last five years, we will need to redouble our efforts, building on our infrastructure and local partnerships, to meet the challenge of the next five.

“I have seen the tireless work of schools, colleges and employers to keep things going over the last six months. It is that same innovation and fortitude that will move us forward into a new era for careers support, enabling us to adapt quickly to serve the best interests of young people at this vital time.”

The next steps

The report makes a series of recommendations about the next steps, including:

• Expand careers hubs by building on the proven model across the country as the bedrock of future careers provision.
• Empower careers leaders through continuing to invest in their professional development and status to increase capacity and capability. 
• Extend digital transformation through embedding the new Compass+ careers education data platform that enables bespoke careers solutions at an individual pupil level.