Careers advice needs more involvement from employers, young people say

Anna Scott

School children want more information about what jobs actually involve, research by the Association of Colleges has found.

‘Have a go experiences’ are also desired, with increased employer involvement which links information and experience of a wide range of careers, the survey of 2,000 11 to 16 year olds found.

The report, Careers Guidance: Guaranteed, aims to increase relations between colleges, employers, schools, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Jobcentre Plus.

It states that young people should have exposure to the world of work through ‘Have a go’ sessions and ‘day in the life’ videos demonstrating what a job involves, as well as longer-term work experience to help young people prepare themselves for the workplace. Careers guidance sessions should also have more direction and structure, the report suggested.

“Young people are calling for a more experiential model of careers guidance,” said Michele Sutton, AoC president.

“They’re also telling us that they need more practical guidance about how to go about researching jobs they’re interested in, and the steps they need to take. It’s our responsibility as adults to become better informed about the local jobs market to be able to offer more relevant, realistic and timely advice,” she added.

Ross Maloney, chief executive of Find a Future, the organisation that delivers The Skills Show and The Skills Show Experience, added that ‘learning by doing’ has more impact than traditional classroom learning methods. 

“Colleges, other learning providers and, importantly, employers are ideally placed to involve and engage with young people at a local level to assist them on their journey into the world of work,” he added.

“Not only do young people find their motivation and passion for the world of work through hands-on experiences, but employers can identify and nurture the future talent which will enable their businesses to flourish.”